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Tuesday, March 19, 2024
NEWS  |  CAMPUS

Infinity Hall residents report wrong candidates displayed on ballots

Residents of Infinity Hall experienced problems Tuesday as they voted for the first student candidate seeking to represent them.

Alexis Colby, a resident of Infinity Hall, said when she went to cast her ballot at the Reitz Union polling location, 10 District A candidates were listed, instead of Infinity Hall candidates Zachariah Chou and Kelly Hooper. But the 18-year-old said she knew who she wanted to represent Infinity.

“I just want to make sure my vote will count,” said Colby, a UF health education and behavior freshman who wrote in a candidate.

But UF Supervisor of Elections Eric Hobbs said because her ballot went toward District A, it won’t count toward the Infinity Hall race. During voting, the online system should ask if the district students see on their ballots is correct. If it’s not, students can use an affidavit, which allows them to change their address to show the correct one.

Students can update their local address at any time through the my.ufl.edu website, Hobbs said.

He said he informed UF Information Technology after he was notified of the error, but a recount of cast ballots isn’t likely.

“That’s never been done before, and I don’t think that would be possible,” he said.

He wrote in an email that 5,032 students voted on the first day of Fall Student Government elections, less than last Fall’s first-day election turnout of 6,427 students, according to Alligator archives. This Fall marks the first time Infinity Hall will have an elected student senator, according to Alligator archives.

When Colby went to vote, the online system showed her mailing address, which has an on-campus ZIP code of 32612. This is not covered under District A. But the physical Infinity Hall building has a ZIP code of 32601, the same ZIP code as District A.

Colby’s mailing address, which she said is her official local address on her my.ufl.edu account, directed her to the District A ballot.

Colby said because it was her first SG election, she wasn’t sure if she was supposed to be voting for district candidates.

When she realized her ballot was wrong, Colby said she asked poll workers about the issue.

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“I remember asking the lady about it, and she had no idea,” Colby said. “She said ‘I don’t know; I guess you’ll just have to pick one,’” referring to the district candidates that appeared on Colby’s ballot.

Hobbs said he called poll workers at about noon to notify them about the ballot issue as soon as he was informed of it through an email sent by Infinity Hall candidate Chou.

Katherine Noel, 18, said she spoke with an Impact Party candidate after writing in a candidate while casting her vote at Marston Science Library. The District A candidate told her voters should have clicked the affidavit button when asked if the ballot showed the right district.

But Noel said she didn’t change it because she didn’t know what the affidavit button did.

“I don’t even know what that is,” the UF landscape architecture freshman said. “It’s really confusing.”

After polls closed Tuesday night, Hobbs wrote in an email that Infinity Hall residents should receive proper ballots today.

“I have now been assured by our IT Team that all Infinity Hall residents will receive an Infinity Hall ballot,” he said.

Tomorrow is the second and last day to vote in the 2016 Fall Student Government elections at the following locations from 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.:

Broward Hall: first floor lobby

Health Science Center: C2-041C

Jennings Hall: first floor library

Law School (Bruton-Geer Hall): side hallways by cafeteria

Marston Science Library: main room

Murphree Area Commons: conference area, Room 106

Norman Hall: Education Library

Reitz Union: computer lab on the lower level

Southwest Recreation Center: cafe near entrance on left side*

Springs Area Office: Room C202

Stuzin Hall: Conference Room 200

*The polling station at Southwest Recreation Center will not be open until 9:30 a.m. due to the Career Showcase.

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