The Joint Elections Committee continues to take shape as members determine the logistics for voting at the Mount Vernon campus.
JEC Chair Kevin Burkett said a polling station at the Mount Vernon campus will be open during lunch and dinner hours during March’s campus election. Paper ballots will be used instead of the voting boothes used on the Foggy Bottom campus.
Burkett said Mount Vernon residents still will have the option of voting on the Foggy Bottom campus. He said postering will be allowed at the new campus, and JEC workers will patrol the campus on a rotating basis.
“It’s a work in progress and probably will be until Mount Vernon’s place here is settled,” he said.
All nine positions on the JEC are filled, as the committee gears up for election season. The Marvin Center Governing Board appointed Adam Kinsinger to fill the position vacated when Melissa Bernath resigned. The committee also elected Jason Miller its vice chair.
The JEC hopes to draft a preliminary set of rules by Jan. 29, he said. A public hearing on the rules will be held Feb. 4 at 7 p.m. During the hearing, the JEC will accept public comment, suggestions and ideas for the rules. The final rules will be available Feb. 9. Anyone interested in a copy of the rules can visit the JEC’s office in Marvin Center room 5C.
The registration deadline for candidates is Feb. 12. A mandatory meeting for all candidates is set for Feb. 16. There, candidates will receive final election information. The ballot order also will be determined.
Postering begins Feb. 23 at 8 a.m. The elections will be held March 2 and 3. Polls will be opened from 8 a.m. until 10 p.m.
If candidates for Student Association president and executive vice president do not garner 40 percent of the vote, runoffs will be held March 9 and 10.
Burkett said the JEC hopes to promote voting in a variety of different ways.
“We’ve got some unique ideas for getting us out there,” he said. “(We’re going to) try not to take ourselves so seriously and have some fun.”
Burkett said he hopes penalties for violations by candidates are fairer this year than last year. He called last year’s rules “a little harsh.” But he said the JEC will not tolerate violations of the rules.
Burkett said he would like to see this year’s candidates abandon smear campaigns. He said the JEC will not tolerate spam and other abuses of e-mail to degrade another candidate.
Burkett said he hopes students will be involved in schoolwide elections but not take themselves too seriously.
“It’s a school race,” he said.
