Tag Archives: voting

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Vote!

"I voted."

Tuesday, November 4, 2014 is Election Day!

The polls are open from 6 AM to 8 PM, so all U.S. citizens on campus should find some time to vote at their assigned polling location. Connecticut offers Election Day Registration, meaning those of you who forgot to register or to apply for an absentee ballot can still register and vote in person in the main lobby of City Hall.

Vans to City Hall and the various polling places will  depart regularly from Usdan starting at 9 AM, and several of the polls are within walking/biking distance of campus. Bring a photo ID (such as your WesCard) and the letter emailed to you over the weekend from Wesleyan’s Office of the Registrar. The Registrar’s site has more information on registration and ID requirements. Students voting by absentee ballot should double-check their state’s deadline and mail it back on time.

Still unsure about voting in Middletown? Check out my reasons, let your fave celebrities convince you, or read a local newspaper.

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Have you registered to vote?!

If friends, family, and Lil Jon haven’t yet convinced you to register to vote or get an absentee ballot, now – yes, right now! – is the time to make a plan to vote.

If you want to vote in Middletown, you MUST re-register, even if you registered in Middletown last year! This is because your voting district and poll location are determined by your on-campus street address – NOT your mailing address at 45 Wyllys. If you have a valid DMV ID from Connecticut, the process is fast and all online, and it must be done by Tuesday, October 21. If you don’t have a valid DMV ID from Connecticut, the Registrar of Voters will need to receive your form by mail by October 21, meaning you would have had to send it today, so instead you’ll take a 10-minute stroll to the Registrar’s Office (245 deKoven Drive) to deliver it in person by Tuesday, October 28. On Election Day (November 4), the Office of Community Service will have vans running between Usdan and the various voting polls. If you hail from Connecticut and are registered for your non-Wesleyan home, you need to either vote by absentee ballot or drive to your local voting poll. (Register here!)

The registration deadline has passed in several places, including New York and Massachusetts, but there’s still time to register by mail or online in a few states, such as California. Some states are still accepting in-person registrations, so do some research if you’re heading home for fall break. Of course, if you’ve registered in another state and can’t be there on November 4, you’ll need to apply for an absentee ballot and, once you’ve received the ballot, send it so it arrives by Election Day (though this deadline changes state by state).

Election Season brings with it questions of not only how to vote but also why, especially when it comes to voting in Middletown, and especially when it comes to midterm elections. If you don’t get warm-and-fuzzies from just “fulfilling your civic duty,” here’s some food for thought that might pull you to the polls:

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EVENT
Election Day (now with same-day registration!)

VOTE

From Ben Florsheim ’14:

Today is Election Day, and there are a number of important local races in Middletown. For the first time ever, Connecticut voters can register in person on the day of the election and vote, so whether you are already a registered Middletown voter or not, it’s time to inform yourself and cast a ballot.

The Office of Community Service is providing shuttles from 9 AM until 8 PM to all polling locations that serve Wesleyan students, as well as City Hall where new voters can register and vote. Shuttles will be leaving from Wyllys Ave outside Usdan.

So what’s going on? Mayor Dan Drew (D) faces only token opposition this year, from registered nurse John Kilian, the founder of the Middletown Realistic Balance Party. However, the man who Drew defeated two years ago, former mayor Sebastian Giuliano (R), is mounting a campaign for City Council, along with 7 other Republicans and 8 Democrats. Also in the mix for council are two Republican incumbents who were denied renomination by their party and are now running as independents, along with local activist Fred Carroll, running on the Realistic Balance line. The current council composition is 8 Democrats and 4 Republicans; the Democrats are hoping to preserve their majority, while the Republicans are gunning for a comeback, even if they didn’t put forward a candidate for the city’s top job.

In Wesleyan-related news, Steven Kovach ’13 (D) is a candidate for Board of Education, and biology professor Stephen Devoto (D) is a candidate for the Planning and Zoning Commission. The sample ballot has the names and party affiliations of all candidates, and is worth perusing before you head to the polls. Further information can be found on the 90s-tastic websites for the local Democratic and Republican parties.

Local politics may not be flashy, but these are the races where every vote truly counts, and as community stakeholders like everyone else, Wesleyan students have the right to be involved in the process. So, whoever you end up supporting for the many races being contested this year, DON’T FORGET TO VOTE!

Date: TODAY, Tuesday, November 5
Time: 9 AM – 8 PM
Place: Middletown
Cost: Free!

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Report: Running For Board of Trustees Sort Of Like Running for the WSA, But For Old People

Reveal yourself, Trustee-Candidates-Who-Didn’t-Make-It-Onto-The-Ballot. We know you’re out there.

Andrew Bleeker ’07 was one of 40 nominees for the Board of Trustees—and is now one of six candidates on the ballot for the Board of Trustees.

You know what it’s like to run for the WSA (it’s okay, we were all freshmen once), but do you know what it’s like to run for the Board of Trustees, Wesleyan’s most elite secret society?

According to a recent post on WesConnect, six alumni are in the process of finding out, each vying for a chance to spend sunny weekends in September, November, and May perched up in the Daniel Family Commons sipping Dom Pérignon, Making Important Decisions About Relle Important Stuff, and occasionally asking Public Safety to kick out uninvited student activists. (Or maybe they’re just running for the opportunity to kick it with West Wing star and Wesleyan trustee Bradley Whitford ’81.) The candidates on the ballot, as they present themselves on WesConnect, include:

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The Best Write-In Votes of the WSA Presidential and Vice-Presidential Elections

O Giant Joint, where art thou? 

Someone actually voted for Lil B this year, so I don’t feel bad using this image again.

Our long, national nightmare is over. Following an interview by schmox that rivals the University’s Reaccreditation Self-Study for length, the results of the WSA elections are in: Nicole Updegrove ’14 and Andrew Trexler ’14 will be taking seat as president and vice-president, respectively. (For anyone keeping score at home, this makes Updegrove the first female president of the WSA since Emily Polak ’05 served during the 2004-2005 academic year.) Write-in champion Giant Joint made an especially meager showing this year, receiving only 25 votes for president and 29 votes for vice-president (unless you count those three votes for “big blunt”) after a briefly resurrected social media presence:

As is pretty much traditional at this point, here are some of the most noteworthy write-in votes from the election. You can peruse the full results for yourself here.

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WSA Election Results

Dear students,

The elections for WSA President, WSA Vice President, and Senior Class Officer are now decided.  Your representatives for the 2013-2014 school year are:

The Elections Committee offers our full congratulations to the winners and thanks all candidates and voters for their participation.  The full results are available at wsa.wesleyan.edu/voting.  The winners’ email addresses are linked above; you should contact them about any concerns or questions you might have now or in the future.  Please hold all office holders accountable throughout their terms.

All the best,
Syed Ali ’13, Nicole Brenner ’15, Wayne Ng ’16
WSA Presidential & Senior Class Officer Elections Committee

Last Chance to Vote

http://wsa.wesleyan.edu/voting

Do you have a fear of missing out (FOMO)? Then don’t miss out on this election!

Elections for WSA President, WSA Vice President, and Senior Class Officers will close TONIGHT at 11:59:59PM.  Please vote immediately at wsa.wesleyan.edu/voting if you have not already done so.

The winners of these elections will claim to represent the interests of the Wesleyan student body or a significant segment of it, whether or not you vote.  Therefore, it is crucial that you vote so that your voice accounted for.  Administrators, outsiders, and fellow students will take the words of these students to represent the views of the student body as a whole.  These representatives will have critical direct and indirect input on everything from the handling of the Tour de Franzia to need-blind admissions to SBC allocations.  If you care about pretty much any student issue, you should vote.

Please note that you can vote in these elections even if you are studying abroad or a current senior (Class of 2013).  Seniors should note that although they won’t be here next year, they should feel invested in Wesleyan’s future.  Perceptions of their alma mater will continue to follow you after graduation.

Voting Open for WSA Pres, VP, Senior Class Officer

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Voting is now open for the following elections:

  • WSA President and Vice President
  • Senior Class President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer

Voting will happen at wsa.wesleyan.edu/voting, closing at 11:59:59 p.m. on Friday, April 26.  All class years (including seniors and students abroad!) can vote in the election for WSA President and Vice President.  Only members of the Class of 2014 can vote in the Senior Class Officer election.

Why vote?

The students who are elected to these positions will technically represent the student body or significant portions of it.  They will be taken as the voice of the student body by administrators, outside bodies, and even fellow students.  They will occupy a critical space in dialogue with the administration, faculty, and other members of the community. They will have input on everything from assembly and university policy to budgetary issues, and almost every possible issue that affects students.

EVENT
WSA Presidential and Vice Presidential Debates

President and Vice Presidential DebateCome see your favorite presidential and vice presidential candidates verbally battle it out! Questions from any and all are welcomed throughout the debates (and in advance by email).

The President and Vice President set the direction for the Assembly, and bears a great deal of influence as the representative of the student voice. They occupy a critical space in dialogue with the administration, faculty, and other members of the community. They have input on everything from assembly and university policy to budgetary issues, and almost every possible issue that affects students.

Presidential Debate
Sunday, April 21st, 5:30PM–1st Floor of Usdan
Moderated by current WSA President Zachary Malter ’13, this debate will be a showdown of the three current candidates: Keith Conway ’16, Mari Jarris ’14, and Nicole Updegrove ’14.  Join the event on Facebook.

Vice Presidential Debate
Monday, April 22nd, 5:30PM–1st Floor of Usdan
Moderated by Elections Committee member Nicole Brenner ’15, this debate will be a showdown of the two current candidates: Chloe Murtagh ’15 and Andrew Trexler ’14.  Join the event on Facebook.

Also, show that you’re voting by joining this event.

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