Members of a committee formed to investigate the possibility for online voting in Student Government elections were chosen last week and should provide recommendations by May 1.
Students for Online Voting, a student group known as SOLVe, filed a lawsuit against UF on Feb. 22 after the UF Supreme Court ruled that an online-voting amendment would be unconstitutional.
The court said online voting could interfere with SG's ability to prevent voter coercion.
Ryan Moseley, Student Body president, wrote in an executive order last week that the committee is expected to provide an independent report on the "feasibility" of online voting for SG elections, specifically concerning security and privacy.
The committee is also charged with looking at how online-voting systems have worked at other universities and listening to "known student interests and concerns."
Moseley said out of about 30 applicants, he chose nine students, including Tommy Jardon, SOLVe's president; MaryGrace Bell, Student Senate president pro-tempore; and other student senators. He also chose three faculty members, who cannot vote on a decision regarding online voting.
Though some members have already expressed opinions from both sides of the online-voting debate, Moseley said he chose "respectful, rational people" who would investigate the option while keeping an open mind.
Sam Miorelli, a UF mechanical engineering junior and SOLVe executive director, said he remains "unconvinced" of the need for the committee and expects the ongoing lawsuit against UF to resolve the issue first.
"We never should've gotten to this point in the first place," Miorelli said.
Alachua County Circuit Judge Frederick Smith rescheduled the suit's hearing to April 24 at 2 p.m. to decide if the suit is valid following UF's request to evaluate its legitimacy.
