Student elections go online

Computers will replace most paper ballots during the Student Association, Program Board and Marvin Center Governing Board elections Feb. 27 and 28. The new online system will be cheaper and less time consuming, group officials said, but paper balloting will remain for students without Webmail accounts.

In response to low voter turnout and a time-consuming validation process during last year’s election, SA President Roger Kapoor said he set a goal to improve the “customer service” of the voting process.

“So many students were turned away because it took up to half an hour to get verified,” he said. “With the online system, we can reduce the half an hour to half a second.”

Members of the Joint Election Committee, which oversees the elections, said the new system would promote smoother elections.

Some candidates and election officials raised concerns of hacking and voter fraud.

“After thoroughly researching the system and meeting with experts and representatives from the PB and MCGB, we all unanimously felt that as a whole, the system would be productive and efficient,” Kapoor said.

-Joe Gidjunis