The newly formed University Board of Elections has arranged for a mock presidential election to be held this Tuesday to test a new online program for single-position elections.
The mock polls will open at 8 a.m. Feb. 10 and will close at 6 p.m Feb. 15. Students can access the mock election through the UBE Web site.
Election results should be available soon after polls close and will be posted on the Web site and subsequently published in a press release, UBE Chair Brian Cook said.
The online election program, called Instant Runoff Voting, was created by ITC to increase security and efficiency of student elections, said Chris Husser, the technology coordinator for student activities.
Husser said he met with ITC last summer to figure out the specifications for the program.
Next week's mock election will be the first time the IRV has been used by the student body.
Husser has been working with ITC all year to complete a system that is more secure than past election processes. In addition, he said he will supervise the mock presidential polls to ensure the election process runs smoothly, though he maintained that the program is so secure that even he cannot access much of the system.
After the mock election trial, the program will be used for future University elections, Cook said.
The central function of the UBE, which was voted into existence last fall, is to oversee all University-wide student elections. The UBE also maintains the online voting system for the University.
With the Democratic primaries in full swing, the mock election will include former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.), retired general Wesley Clark, Rev. Al Sharpton and U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) for the Democratic Party.
The only Republican on the ballot will be President Bush.
"Students can rank their preferences and then the IRV program systematically eliminates the candidates with the fewest votes," Cook said
Once these candidates have been removed, the voter's second choice will be factored into the final results.
The UBE will hold interest meetings Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday next week in the Newcomb Hall Main Lounge for students considering a run for any University office.
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