News & Notes: Frist voting stations now accessible for use in USG elections

Students will now be able to vote in the current USG elections using the Helios website at public voting stations in Frist Campus Center.

“I hope to increase voter turnout in the spring elections, and the intent for the voting stations is for students to just stop by while they’re hanging out at Frist, doing homework or going to class to vote in the elections,” chief elections manager Rachel Nam ’15 said. “It’ll be quick and easy for them to vote, and we hope that the elections will open up dialogue on campus to address the issues on campus and become an essential part of student life.”

The proposal for the voting stations was introduced at the March 31 USG meeting. Nam then got in touch with Laurie Hall, the associate director of operations and facilities at Frist, and the plans were finalized on Friday.

Since the Elections Handbook bans students from operating a computer voting station, Nam said she sent an email to all of the candidates making it very clear that they are not allowed to stand at the stations.

The new system of voting at Frist is just a trial run, Nam said, and the Elections Handbook will be changed after the election to reflect this new procedure.

“What the voting stations do is serve primarily as a reminder to students that they should vote, and it also makes it more convenient for them,” USG president Shawon Jackson ’15 said. “Hopefully, we can get more people to vote and more people more engaged in the USG elections.”

The voting stations are located at the computers on the 100 level of Frist near the Welcome Desk. Voting began Monday at noon and will continue until Wednesday at noon.