Big voter turnout expected

Many candidates on and off the ballot may lead to many students at the polls today to vote for Undergraduate Student Government president and vice president.

Head USG Elections Commissioner Angelo Annese said he is expecting one of the highest turnouts ever for today's elections because of the nine tickets in the race.

"Since there is a whole variety of different interests represented on the tickets, I think that we will have a higher turnout than in the past," he said.

Voting and Tallying Commissioner Laura C. Taylor said she is preparing for the possibility of a flood of voters at the polls today. She has ordered about 1,000 more ballots than last year and is prepared to order more if necessary.

Taylor is also trying to be as accommodating to write-in campaigns as the USG Elections Code will allow. According to the code, poll workers cannot offer or urge students to take write-in ballots.

However, Taylor said she will instruct the poll workers to ask voters if they need a write-in ballot.

Despite the extra work the large number of candidates may cause her, Taylor said she is positive not only about the possibility of increased turnout but about the new people the elections may attract.

"I feel that we will be seeing people voting who have never voted before," she said.

-- by Patricia K. Cole