[temara.brown]

Last year the MSU had its lowest voter turnout in its history of presidential elections with only 12.9% of the eligible student body out to vote. What's to happen this year? Better or worse? What do you think?

Attached is a history of all of the past elections results over 30 years for your perusal.

Thanks to Dave Moore for providing this information to Macinsiders.

wow this is cool. i like following the trends downward... :( maybe we can pick it up again!

also, when 962 voters is 29%, wow.

I like how many times the ballot count "varies" or ballots are "misplaced". Yay integrity!

Also - 2004 - 1 vote.

Originally Posted by stevennevets

wow this is cool. i like following the trends downward... :( maybe we can pick it up again!

also, when 962 voters is 29%, wow.

Wow, too bad it's not like that anymore. Less people to push out of the way in MUSC...

Originally Posted by stevennevets

wow this is cool. i like following the trends downward... :( maybe we can pick it up again!

also, when 962 voters is 29%, wow.

I personally enjoy "831 (45%)" more. XD

That's CRAZY. I could never imagine going to a university that small. XD

Originally Posted by KayakerDan

Wow, too bad it's not like that anymore. Less people to push out of the way in MUSC...

you've got a paddle. XD

Is it wrong to assume that a big reason for the very low voter turnout last year was the unusually high number of candidates? Asking the average student to decide between 9 different candidates during midterms is going to inspire a lot of apathy imo.

So true.

Excuse me for my apathy, but when there aren't really candidates that stand out as spectacular, there isn't much point in voting.

Originally Posted by nh999

So true.

Excuse me for my apathy, but when there aren't really candidates that stand out as spectacular, there isn't much point in voting.

I disagree with you here. Simply because you can always abstain.

By abstaining you are still voting, but saying that none of the candidates represent you properly.

Could someone explain the format in that file for the last few years? A friend and I are looking at it trying to figure out how it works.

Originally Posted by lorend

I disagree with you here. Simply because you can always abstain.

By abstaining you are still voting, but saying that none of the candidates represent you properly.

Agreed.

Not voting does nothing... abstaining, or officially spoiling your ballot actually sends a message.

GET OUT AND VOTE!

Originally Posted by tbiris

Could someone explain the format in that file for the last few years? A friend and I are looking at it trying to figure out how it works.

Are you referring to the preferential voting system?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preferential_voting

Ah, that makes everything make much more sense. Thank you very much.

Originally Posted by samd

Is it wrong to assume that a big reason for the very low voter turnout last year was the unusually high number of candidates? Asking the average student to decide between 9 different candidates during midterms is going to inspire a lot of apathy imo.

There were 10 candidates in 1991 and turnout over 40%. Two of those candidates broke out of the pack on the first ballot and were the final two on the end of the evening.

I suggest that the number of candidates isn't a factor, but rather the success the candidates have in convincing the student body of two things:

(1) The candidate's program is both appealing and doable in one year
(2) The candidate has the experience and/or personality to bring their platform to fruition

It's the MSU Elections Committee's responsibility to administer the election. It's up to the candidates to convince their peers --- the electorate --- why they should care enough to vote.