Getting Involved in ASISU Elections
Active campaigning is underway as ASISU elections approach.
As of Feb. 19, election packets were due from candidates, containing signatures supporting their campaigns as well as a campaign expenditure sheet, among other information.
Candidates who submitted correctly are now eligible to run for ASISU office.
Elections for ASISU executive office, Idaho Falls vice president and senate offices for various colleges will take place March 19, 20 and 21. Voting will take place online through BengalWeb and will begin at 8 a.m. March 19 and close at 5:30 p.m. March 21.
“I feel that ASISU is important to [ISU] because it allows students to have an avenue for student issues and concerns to the administration,” said current ASISU President Matt Bloxham. “Any issues, I mean whether it’s academic issues, parking issues or facility issues, having a student government to be your voice on those issues is really important.”
ASISU Elections Commissioner, Hamid Durrani, said ASISU is working to increase student participation in elections this year.
He estimated that in past years voter turnout has been between approximately 1,500 and 2,200. He said this year he is aiming high and hopes to see 4,000 votes.
Durrani explained that ASISU is teaming up with Information Technology Services (ITS) to provide opportunities for students without ISU computer accounts to vote.
He said ASISU has requested ITS provide kiosks available for students who don’t have computer accounts to vote.
Further details on measures being taken through ITS to provide opportunities to vote are still in the planning process.
In addition, Durrani said during voting ASISU will have booths with laptops available for students to stop by and vote set up in various locations. On March 19, they plan to be in Turner Hall, on March 20 they plan to be in the Rendezvous Complex, and on March 21 they plan to be in the Student Union Building.
“If [students] want to bring a change, if they really are looking for some changes in ISU, they should participate in voting,” said Durrani.
Students can become more informed about candidates by attending senate speeches and debates that will be held prior to voting.
Senate speeches will be held March 12 in the Rendezvous Atrium by the C-Store, March 13 in the Quad Lounge in the Student Union Building and March 14 in the Roy F. Christensen Complex at the College of Technology. All will begin at 12:30 p.m.
The executive ticket debate will be held March 18 at 12 p.m. in the Rendezvous Atrium by the C-Store.
Executive Ticket candidate pairs include Matt Bloxham and Taylor Jensen, and Elizabeth Kidd and Tiffany Sawin.
Idaho Falls Vice President candidates include Rich Thompson.
Senate candidates include Jacob Hall, Benjamin Harker, Sam Johnson, Kayla Luke, Morgan Pitcock and Andres Zamora for the College of Arts & Letters; Shawn Kelsch for the College of Business; Hailey Hudson and Beatriz Valencia for the College of Education; Deanna Gende and Beau William James for Graduate Studies; Clint Brock, Kellyn Fuller, Richell Kuta, Samantha Matamoros, Rachel Munson, Tynan O’Neil and Dana Rollins for the College of Health Sciences; Nelson Bishop for the College of Pharmacy; Kyle Tyler Bodily, Maxwell Daniels, Andrew Hoth and Mirazun Nahar Mitu for the College of Science and Engineering; and Cameron Butler for the College of Technology.
