Insight

OUR OPINION

SGA DOOMED TO REPEAT TRAGEDY OF SPRING

Bravo. The Student Government Assembly finally did something! Four weeks after the start of the Fall Semester, they passed election commission bylaws that will govern the special election slated for Oct. 31. The ballot, perhaps the most important election Metro has ever seen, will be for the office of president and the entire senate.

This election is significant for so many reasons. First, this will be the first SGA to work-actively-with Metro's administration. President Jordan has promised a seat on his cabinet to the SGA president. Interim President Dennis Bergquist has kept that seat warm, but a full-time participant is needed. This will also be the first SGA to work under the new constitution, passed last year, unless another mud-slinging fiasco breaks out.

Ah, yes, last spring was fun for all of us. We probably should have seen it coming. Tensions were high, stakes even higher. Payback and validation were the silent platforms on which candidates and their companies ran.

We can only hope the past is behind us, but fear is running through our veins. While the bylaws have fewer loopholes and are easier to understand, there are still a few sticky points.

First of all, "official polling station" is not clearly defined. For starters, the document draws a line between casting a ballot on campus and elsewhere. The bylaws read: "The official polling stations recognized by the Election Commission are all the Metro State computer laboratories." Yet the authors follow up with, "Any student can vote from any computer, whether on campus, at home, library or elsewhere around the world." We find these two statements to be contradictory and ambiguous.

Moreover, there is nothing prohibiting anything similar to what the Williams' camp did last spring when they set up polling stations of their own and were disqualified for it. The only reference comes in this clause discussing "point violations," a system used to assign punishment to candidates breaking the bylaws, "10 point violation for violating Metro State College of Denver, AHEC, City of Denver, State of Colorado or Federal rules, regulations or laws."

Another injustice done by this document is campaign finance. Under the new rules, any individual can spend up to $250 for their run at office. However, any group of students forming under one ticket can only spend $300. This simply doesn't make sense. Sure, we can understand the power of "we," but allotting such a small amount for an entire ticket is utterly ridiculous and a blatant disapproval of teamwork.

We hope the SGA will heed our advice and execute a fair, flawless election.