MSU Elections History Over 30 Years
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Last year the MSU had its lowest voter turnout in its history of presidential elections with only 12.9% of the eligible student body out to vote. What's to happen this year? Better or worse? What do you think?
Attached is a history of all of the past elections results over 30 years for your perusal.
Thanks to Dave Moore for providing this information to Macinsiders.
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MacInsiders Staff
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01-27-2010 at 12:40 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Real name: Steven
Program: Philosophy
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wow this is cool. i like following the trends downward... :( maybe we can pick it up again!
also, when 962 voters is 29%, wow.
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Steven Thompson
Chief Returning Officer, MSU (Elections)
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01-27-2010 at 06:42 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Real name: David
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I like how many times the ballot count "varies" or ballots are "misplaced". Yay integrity!
Also - 2004 - 1 vote.
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David Russell, B.Eng.Mgt
Software Engineering and Management '09
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01-27-2010 at 06:46 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
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Quote:
Originally Posted by stevennevets
wow this is cool. i like following the trends downward... :( maybe we can pick it up again!
also, when 962 voters is 29%, wow.
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Wow, too bad it's not like that anymore. Less people to push out of the way in MUSC... |
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01-28-2010 at 08:47 AM
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#5
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I am Prince Vegeta.
Real name: Cheri
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Quote:
Originally Posted by stevennevets
wow this is cool. i like following the trends downward... :( maybe we can pick it up again!
also, when 962 voters is 29%, wow.
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I personally enjoy "831 (45%)" more. XD
That's CRAZY. I could never imagine going to a university that small. XD
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Mathematically it makes about as much sense as (pineapple)$$*cucumbe r*.
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01-28-2010 at 08:51 AM
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#6
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I am Prince Vegeta.
Real name: Cheri
Program: Commerce
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Quote:
Originally Posted by KayakerDan
Wow, too bad it's not like that anymore. Less people to push out of the way in MUSC...
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you've got a paddle. XD
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Mathematically it makes about as much sense as (pineapple)$$*cucumbe r*.
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01-28-2010 at 10:16 AM
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#7
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Member
Real name: Sam
Faculty: Engineering
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Is it wrong to assume that a big reason for the very low voter turnout last year was the unusually high number of candidates? Asking the average student to decide between 9 different candidates during midterms is going to inspire a lot of apathy imo.
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01-28-2010 at 01:41 PM
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#8
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Elite Member
Real name: n
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So true.
Excuse me for my apathy, but when there aren't really candidates that stand out as spectacular, there isn't much point in voting.
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01-28-2010 at 01:49 PM
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#9
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MacInsiders VP
Real name: Danielle
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nh999
So true.
Excuse me for my apathy, but when there aren't really candidates that stand out as spectacular, there isn't much point in voting.
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I disagree with you here. Simply because you can always abstain.
By abstaining you are still voting, but saying that none of the candidates represent you properly.
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McMaster Combined Honours Cultural Studies & Critical Theory and Anthropology: 2008
McMaster Honours English with a minor in Indigenous Studies: 2010
Carleton University Masters of Arts in Canadian Studies: 2012 (expected)
We are people of this generation, bred in at least modest comfort, housed in universities, looking uncomfortably into the world we inherit. -- Port Huron Statement
Taunton
says thanks to lorend for this post.
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01-28-2010 at 02:16 PM
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#10
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Member
Real name: Emily
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Could someone explain the format in that file for the last few years? A friend and I are looking at it trying to figure out how it works.
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01-28-2010 at 03:22 PM
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#11
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Elite Member
Real name: Ben
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lorend
I disagree with you here. Simply because you can always abstain.
By abstaining you are still voting, but saying that none of the candidates represent you properly.
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Agreed.
Not voting does nothing... abstaining, or officially spoiling your ballot actually sends a message.
GET OUT AND VOTE!
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Ben Taunton
Life Science IV
McMaster University
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01-28-2010 at 03:24 PM
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#12
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MacInsiders Staff
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tbiris
Could someone explain the format in that file for the last few years? A friend and I are looking at it trying to figure out how it works.
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Are you referring to the preferential voting system?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preferential_voting |
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01-28-2010 at 05:52 PM
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#13
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Member
Real name: Emily
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Ah, that makes everything make much more sense. Thank you very much.
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01-30-2010 at 06:35 PM
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#14
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Member
Real name: Dave
Program: Political Science
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Quote:
Originally Posted by samd
Is it wrong to assume that a big reason for the very low voter turnout last year was the unusually high number of candidates? Asking the average student to decide between 9 different candidates during midterms is going to inspire a lot of apathy imo.
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There were 10 candidates in 1991 and turnout over 40%. Two of those candidates broke out of the pack on the first ballot and were the final two on the end of the evening.
I suggest that the number of candidates isn't a factor, but rather the success the candidates have in convincing the student body of two things:
(1) The candidate's program is both appealing and doable in one year
(2) The candidate has the experience and/or personality to bring their platform to fruition
It's the MSU Elections Committee's responsibility to administer the election. It's up to the candidates to convince their peers --- the electorate --- why they should care enough to vote. |
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