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Jenna Hagengruber celebrates with members of her slate, Drive for ASUNM on Wednesday at SUB atrium. Hagengruber won the ASUNM presidential election against Go ASUNM slate candidate Mack Follingstad.
Jenna Hagengruber celebrates with members of her slate, Drive for ASUNM on Wednesday at SUB atrium. Hagengruber won the ASUNM presidential election against Go ASUNM slate candidate Mack Follingstad.

ASUNM draws a line in the sand when it comes to senate elections

Editor's Note: The original version of this story stated that, for the change in ASUNM election procedure to be enacted, it must first be approved by the Board of Regents. The Daily Lobo failed to report that before reaching that point, two-thirds of voting students must approve the measure in the fall election cycle. The Daily Lobo regrets the inaccuracy, and will continue to work diligently to prevent future errors.


Senators at last week’s Associated Students of UNM Senate meeting voted 14-6 to separate presidential and vice presidential elections from senatorial elections in a move meant to increase exposure, voter turnout and election equity.

The change indicates a stark contrast for how candidates in future elections might run for the positions, as each winning presidential candidate dating back to at least 2011 has belonged to a slate — a group of candidates running together under a shared agenda — and the president’s slate has generally dominated a particular election.

The legislation, authored by Senators Noah Brooks, Sally Midani and Hannah Williams, states that “the President and Vice-President shall be elected at-large, in a separate Spring General Election three weeks prior to the Senatorial election.”

Separating the elections tends to increase voter turnout for presidential elections, Brooks said, citing a 2005 study by University of Iowa researchers.

“Overall, the costs do not outweigh the benefits of this bill,” Midani said. “In order to really allow the most qualified individuals to serve in this government body, some sort of format of risk will be necessary.”

The current, simultaneous format of the elections makes it impossible for failed presidential and vice presidential candidates to seek another office if they lose, despite their qualifications.

Although there is no way to prevent candidates from associating with one another, the newly adopted election structure will make individuals less dependent on group campaigning or senatorial slates, Brooks said.

“The elections commission already doesn’t recognize slates, so we’re basically just discouraging it further,” Midani said, echoing her co-author and calling the legislation the best means by which the senate can reduce the influence of political grouping in election campaigning.

Speculation indicates that increased voter turnout at what will be called the “Presidential/Vice Presidential Spring General Election” will provide ASUNM with a platform to reach more students, Brooks said.

In discussion over the change at the meeting, concerns were raised about the difficulties faced by “outsider” presidential and vice presidential candidates.

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Brooks said the change actually puts candidates on “more of an even playing field,” as potential Greek candidates wouldn’t be able to take advantage of appealing to multiple fraternities and sororities by belonging to a slate.

The amendment to ASUNM procedure will be included on the ballot for the fall 2016 elections. Should two-thirds of voting students vote in favor of the change, it will then go to the Board of Regents. If it reaches that point, the change should be enacted in time for the spring elections, which are usually held after Spring Break.

“The most important effect of this is increasing opportunity,” Midani said, whether that be for the voting student body, or candidates seeking another office. “There is an overall increase in that opportunity, which I think is extremely powerful in this legislation.

Johnny Vizcaino is a news reporter for the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at news@dailylobo.com or on Twitter 
@thedailyjohnnyv.

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