ISU Bengal

Issue date: 3/28/07 Section: News

Media Credit: Laura Rauch (MCT)

Several new court cases were filed with the Associated Students of ISU (ASISU) Supreme Court over the last two weeks calling for a recount of the recent ASISU run-off election results and challenging the certification of the proposed new ASISU constitution, among other accusations. The new cases name several defendants within the association, further expanding the already sprawling controversy that has surrounded ASISU elections and voting during the current academic year.

Plaintiffs for the new court cases include Nicholas Durfee; Shawnee Knapp and Elizabeth Olson; Bikul Koirala and Ajay Vongala; and Tom Briggs.

According to an e-mail received Sunday night from Chace Mickelson, ASISU Supreme Court Chief Justice, the Knapp/Olson case, filed Tuesday, March 20, calling for a recount of the run-off election results is still under consideration, and will likely be ruled on this week.

"Fair elections…are what students should be able to count on," said Knapp and Olson in an e-mail response. "A recount is the proper step… in order to make sure the results are legitimate. We don't want to throw out the results because we don't want students to feel that their voice doesn't matter, however, we do want to make sure their votes were counted, that our system is correct, and that our elected officials have been elected legitimately."

Though they stated that they are not in favor of throwing out the entire election, Knapp and Olson did state that the recount should include the elimination of any votes that should not have been allowed. This, they claim, is to ensure accurate election results, since several senate seats were determined by fewer than a dozen votes.

Tom Briggs, who finished third place in the ASISU general election executive race with his vice-presidential running-mate Matt Bloxham, stated that the ability to be able to go back and throw out illegitimate votes is in itself a major problem with the voting system at ISU.

"This idea of voting with a computer, no matter how convenient, is fraught with disaster," said Briggs. "The secrecy aspect of the election is compromised when people can look at how people voted…even if it is to 'fix' the election. How can you claim accuracy and secrecy in the election when people can go in and essentially hack the system?"

Briggs continued, stating that he felt it necessary that the entire election be thrown out, but that it was not something he was hoping for.

Continued...

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