Across campus Tuesday, the clamor of students exercising their rights to vote began.
From 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., campaign volunteers for Access Party and Impact Party encouraged students to go vote. Students submitted ballots for 50 senators, executive candidates and an amendment which would allow online voting on the first day of elections.
Erica Baker, the supervisor of elections, wrote in an email that 6,644 students voted on Tuesday. Last Spring, a record of 8,903 students voted on the first day.
For Logan Dubnick, 20, the lack of online voting drove him to the polls.
“Why would you have a system of democracy if you’re not gonna try to actually get everyone’s vote?” the UF neuroscience and biology junior said, adding that online voting will increase voter turnout.
He said he voted in support of online voting.
Merikris Boado said she abstained from voting for online voting because it could lead to students voting as other students, if they knew another student’s UF ID number.
But the 22-year-old UF family, youth and community sciences senior voted because she wanted to support her friends running for SG.
“Even though I’m graduating, I’m still trying to support my friends that are in Student Government,” she said.
Rachel Rockwell said she voted yes for online voting because it would be a good option for students who couldn’t make it to the polls.
The 20-year-old UF English sophomore said she felt compelled to vote because of the controversy around this semester’s elections.
“Whether the party I voted for wins or not, I at least wanted to make the effort to vote and try to make change,” she said.
Students can vote today beginning at 8:30 a.m. until 8:30 p.m. After polls close, the results will be announced at 10 p.m. at the Reitz Union Breezeway.
Contact Melissa Gomez at mgomez@alligator.org and follow her on Twitter @MelissaGomez004.
