Staff Editorial | Delay in VSA election results problematic

The Vassar Student Association (VSA) fall elections ended in ambiguity when results were not announced at 10 p.m. on Tuesday as scheduled, and candidates were told at the elections party that results would come later that night. Tuesday night passed completely before any results were final, however, and an e-mail was not sent out until Wednesday morning. Although voting itself ran relatively smoothly as opposed to past years (one recalls last spring’s quick switch to paper ballots), this delay between when VSA planned to announce the results and when they actually did certainly did not help to restore student confidence in VSA elections, which VSA President Abel McDonnell ’07 identified at Convocation as his top goal for the year.

At the Oct. 1 VSA Council meeting, Board of Elections chair Matt Morse ’07 said that the voting technology took more time to tally results than expected. The VSA by-laws state that when elections are held, VSA has 24 hours to post voting results. This seems entirely reasonable, and is a realistic goal for the VSA. Thus, they should give themselves the time allotted in their by-laws instead of shortening this deadline by 22 hours and then not being able to meet it due to the time the technology requires to compile results.

The student body appreciates a fast voting results turnaround. However, students would much prefer voting results to be delivered when scheduled, so that they can regain confidence in VSA elections and develop faith in the VSA’s new elections technology. The Miscellany News believes that restoring trust in VSA elections is of the utmost importance, and we encourage the VSA and the Board of Elections to take the time that they need—and the time allotted by the VSA by-laws—to tabulate election results.

The Staff Editorial represents at least a two-thirds majority of the Editorial Board.