This year’s senate election had a bigger turnout than last year, said Shrey Prasad, a De Anza Associated Student Body senator and vice president of student services.
Several factors contributed to the increase in voter turnout. “The faculty was instrumental in voter turnout because a lot of professors gave extra credit for the vouchers students received once they voted,” said Rehana Rehman, a DASB senator.
Location also might have been a factor in voter turnout because, unlike last year, the polls were in the center of the Main Quad, according Rehman.
Students working at the polls handed out free slices of pizza and drinks for the first four days while supplies lasted. Over fifty boxes of Little Caesars pizza were consumed, said Senator Samuel Yang.
“During lunchtime on Tuesday, there were mobs of people around the polls because they saw us giving away free pizza … it was a great incentive,” said Rehman. “We didn’t give anything out last year,” Prasad said.
In order for the elections to be legitimate, 3 percent of the student body must vote, said Yang, or 660 students out of the total approximate De Anza student population of 22,000.
Carla Costa, a business administration major, said one of the reasons she voted this year was because she knew someone on the ballot who would “do something for the students.”
Senators determine where the DASB funds are allocated. “The senators are making decisions on behalf of students,” said Prasad.
Over 200 students voted on Monday, and over 500 voted by Tuesday, making the 3 percent mark viable by Wednesday. “There are more candidates running for senator and VP [this year], there’s more competition than last year,” said Prasad. Prasad also said he was extremely pleased with voter turn out this year.
Forty-eight candidates, eight of whom ran in president/executive vice president pairs, and three student trustees ran for senate positions for the upcoming school year.
According to the DASB Web site, unless there are grievances to be settled, the senate election results will be posted on Wednesday, May 23. The student officers will be sworn in at the June 6 senate meeting.
The student trustee results will be announced along with the senate election results. The trustee will be sworn in at a ceremony on Monday, June 4 at 6 p.m. at Foothill College.
A De Anza student casts his vote for DASB Senate last Thursday. Poll workers say they received the required minimum of 662 votes by last Wednesday. The election results will be posted this Wednesday.