Voters wanted for Senate elections

Starting in early 1994, I worked for my first-ever newspaper, The Northern Student, the student newspaper at Bemidji State University, where I attended and received my bachelor's degree in mass communication. Over three years, I would be a staff writer, news editor, managing editor and editor. I wrote everything from news stories to feature stories to sports stories to opinion pieces. It was the greatest training ground a journalist could ever have, and I am grateful to the many talented people I worked alongside in my years at The NS.

Oct. 5, 1994

By Devlyn Brooks

News Editor

During this year's Student Senate elections, slated for Oct. 12 and 13, BSU students will not only elect student senators but will also decide the fate of two referendums.

Fourteen of the 26 seats -- seven on-campus and seven off-campus positions -- will be decided in the upcoming election.

Two referendums are included on the ballot as well. The first asks whether BSU students prefer the three quarter academic system or the two semester system; the second askes if the Student Senate should work to change the BSU Beaver mascot to a snow shark.

Student Senate President Paul Hetland said he is happy with the present number of candidates.

"We haven't had a full Senate since the '91-'92 school year," he said. "By the end of the election, we could have 23 senators. That is almost full."

According to the election guidelines set by the Student Senate, any student with a 2.0 GPA, at least a 12 credit course load, and a good academic standing is an eligible candidate. Currently, four incumbents are in the running, while nine new applicants have filed as candidates. However, students still have until Oct. 7 to apply at the Student Senate office and join the race.

Candidates who are not elected will more than likely be appointed to vacant "spring seats," Hetland said. "Spring seats" often open up because of resignations and graduation.

"If they don't get elected I don't think they should be disappointed," he said. "I'll probably appoint them to a seat." Hetland believes if a student runs, and there are vacant seats, they deserve to be on the Senate. These appointments must be approved by a majority of the Senate. The appointees then remain in the seats until spring elections. If they wish to keep the position, they must run in the election.

In the past, Senate elections have mirrored national elections, said Hetland. Voter turnout has been very low. During the last Senate presidential election, held spring quarter, only 500 students voted. The student population then was approximately 4,500.

"That is really poor," said Legislative Committee Chair Ryan Bronson.

The referendums were added, Bronson said, in the hopes that they would increase voter turnout.

"Voters are becoming increasingly more issue-oriented when voting," added Hetland. "We felt if we gave the students an issue, we might boost turnout." Hetland also said if this increases voter turnout, referendums might be used in later elections for the same reason.

In order for the current referendums to be considered valid, at least half of the number of people who voted in the last presidential election must vote in this election. Bronson said 250 voters must turn out before the referendums will be considered by the Student Senate as concrete evidence of the students' opinions.

Depending on how the students vote at the polls, Senate will decide which actions should be taken, regarding changes in the academic system or the mascot.

Hetland said he expects at least 500 students to vote in this election. Though he feels that older students have developed apathy toward Senate, Hetland hopes that freshmen will turn out in big numbers since they won't have any preconceived ideas toward the Student Senate.

"If we can keep freshmen active in Senate through their senior year, we'll have a strong Senate. Continuity is important," Hetland said.

He also believes it is important for freshmen to get involved in Senate as senators. "The more diverse Senate is, the better," he said. He believes it makes for a stronger Senate when more students of all ages get involved and more people are represented. "I think these are the kinds of things we need from freshmen -- new ideas," he added.

Student Senate elections will be held in the Lower Union on Oct. 12 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and on Oct. 13 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and in Walnut Hall on Oct. 12 from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and on Oct. 13 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.