Wednesday’s Associated Students Legislative Council meeting addressed the two hottest topics on campus this week: the A.S. Special Election and the upcoming clerical workers’ strike.
The special election, which began Monday and is the first ever fall election and first online election for A.S., is running smoothly, Don Daves-Rougeaux, A.S. director said
There have been minor technical difficulties with the online election – at least a dozen voters reported that while attempting to vote online they were connected directly to the “thank you for voting” page without ever being given the chance to cast their vote, Daves-Rougeaux said. It was the only glitch in the system and the people who were unable to vote went to the A.S. office and received paper ballots, he said. Approximately 20 percent of eligible voters have participated thus far, he said, enough to make the election valid.
“We’re doing well, despite opposition from certain circles,” he said.
Polls close tonight at midnight and elections results for both the A.S. base fee increase and the MultiCultural Center lock-in reaffirmation will be available Monday.
In other business, Leg Council approved a measure to support C.U.E. workers and lecturers in their strike next week.
“This is an issue that effects all students, so as representatives of the students, we need to give [C.U.E. workers] support,” Rep-at-large Fernando Ramirez said.
C.U.E. member and alumni, Gisela Johnson asked Leg Council members to encourage students to support the strikers.
“We’re asking all students to support us since we do work for [them]. Students could join us in the picket lines, to show more numbers. You could wear a union button. You could take your whole class to the picket line,” Johnson said. “We encourage you to take other hours at work so you don’t work during the strike, but still don’t lose wages,” she said.
Due to the strike, Leg Council voted to shut down their office throughout the three-day strike.
A passionate argument arose when Off-campus Representative Scott Talkov challenged the validity of A.S.’s decision to hold the special election.
In the first vote to hold the special election 13 people voted in favor of the measure, five voted against it and one person abstained. Due to problems contacting Leg Council members for the vote, two members were unable to vote on the measure. The problem with the first vote, Talkov said, was that according to “Robert’s Rules of Order,” the guidebook for debate in meetings used by A.S., two-thirds of voting members (total members) must vote in favor of a special election in order to make it legal. Under the current A.S. constitution, two-thirds of those present at the meeting must vote in favor of the measure for it to pass. A.S. has 21 voting members – which means 14 supporters are needed for a two-thirds majority under “Robert’s Rules of Order.” Since only 19 members voted on this measure, a two-thirds majority under the A.S. Constitution was 13.
“I feel my decision was accurate,” Sunbo Bamigboye, vice president of internal affairs said. “I’m not saying ‘Roberts Rules of Order’ is wrong, but I feel our constitution should come before the ‘Roberts Rules of Order.’ ”
Leg Council voted in favor of upholding the group’s previous decision to hold a special election by a margin of 19 to 2.
The final order of business concerned a thief within the A.S. office.
“Me and [Off Campus Rep. Gustavo Mendoza] are very upset that someone stole our drinks that were in the fridge today,” Bamigboye said. “No really guys, it’s really bad to steal other people’s property.”