Vis Lupi Est Grex

It's sort of like golf: the score should be low

Hey out there sports election fans. Since most of us have short memories, I thought it would be a good idea to go over the highlights from the previous election, just so you know how this game is set to unfold.

Rule of Law 0
Epic, All-Time Greatest Election Fuck-ups 13

The Nevada Sagebrush chronicled the mistakes here. Long story short: the people charged with administering the election practically took a vacation at election time. Things were so bad that then-Sen. Sean McDonald (Liberal Arts) said, "The elections in Iraq under Saddam Hussein were more fair than in ASUN. Florida during the 2000 presidential election? Child’s play compared to this." I shit you not.

As the Sagebrush counted, these were the 13 violations:

1. “None of the above” was a choice on the executive officer ballot, but it wasn’t supposed to be. Now students and candidates are questioning whether a candidate actually won the presidency. If “none of the above” votes are added as part of the total, neither presidential candidate received more than half of the votes.
2. The commission did not follow the March 10 judicial council ruling to take “incumbent” off the ballot next to Taylor R. Anderson’s name.
3. The voters’ guide didn’t use middle initials for the Taylor Andersons and placed the two out of order. Taylor R. Anderson was first in the guide, but second on the ballot.
4. The voters’ guide did not include information about ASUN.
5. The voters’ guide did not include voting procedures.
6. The voters’ guide did not include the duties of senators or executives.
7. Ballot boxes were not locked for about two hours.
8. Absentee ballots were not available.
9. The Davidson Academy students could not vote.
10. The commission did not officially vote when making decisions about polling locations and other items of business.
11. The election commission chair published the voters’ guide, but it was the publicity coordinator’s mandated job.
12. Recycling bins were not available.
13. The commission did not respect the election code because the commission violated the above laws.

In all, as another student, and fellow election observer, and finally a candidate Tim Taycher, put it, "Last year, ASUN elections rivaled Uganda's elections in legitimacy." Only in America, folks.

Aside from what actually occurred (or didn't occur) during the actual election, problems began well before March 2008. Two Election Commission positions were left vacant, leading the Senate to consider disciplining then-President Sarah Ragsdale. The Sagebrush had the story:

http://nevadasagebrush.com/blog/2008/02/05/senators-call-for-presidential-conduct-hearing/

http://nevadasagebrush.com/blog/2008/02/12/senator-said-he-wants-to-impeach-asun-president/

http://nevadasagebrush.com/blog/2008/02/19/senate-to-vote-on-ragsdale%E2%80%99s-impeachment-wednesday/

The Sagebrush also editorialized on the election here.

Of Things To Come...
So, with things so bad last year, you'd think ASUN would make sure the problems were fixed this year. At the very least, the Senate should have taken George W. Bush's advice: "Fool me once, shame on—shame on you. Fool me—you can't get fooled again." Fooled once last year, they should not be fooled this year. Right? Fuck no.

As of today, three positions remain vacant:

• Ballot Coordinator--because who needs a ballot? Hardly anybody votes anyway.
• Poll Coordinator--no ballot, why bother with polls?
  
• Publicity Coordinator--what election?

For those keeping score, two of the same positions that went vacant last year are vacant this year, with the Ballot Coordinator being the new one for this year. So I'd say we're off to a brilliant start. I guess nobody got the memo about last year.

Oh, it gets better. Not realizing that things do not become law until they are signed by the president, the Election Commission (or two-fifths of it, anyway) was going to implement an amended election code, illegally. Once again, the Sagebrush had the story (just too bad hardly any of the students care).

The good news is 54 students filed to run for 24 elected positions, 50 of them for the 22-seat Senate. I guess people are fed up with the bunch of fucktards that is the 76th Session of the Senate.

So there you have it. Last year's election sucked, and this year's election isn't off to any better of a start. Again, nailing it: