Voter turnout plummeting

Many students aren’t taking the opportunity to choose their Homecoming representatives.

Despite various advertising efforts, voter turnout for Mr. and Miss UNC is typically low and varies each year.

Last year, those numbers hit the lowest point in recent memory, at just about 2,300 votes.

Shruthi Sundaram, chairwoman of the Board of Elections, said the low turnout might be caused by using a new voting software for the first time last year, called CollegiateLink.

The new system requires a short registration process with basic information before users can vote.

“Part of (the low turnout) might be because it’s a new system and people are hesitant to try it, but it’s not terribly hard to use,” she said.

“People were so used to going to (Information Technology Services), so giving them a new website might have thrown them off.”

At best, turnout reached about 12,200 in 2009, but that was when the Homecoming election was paired with a special election for Student Congress.

Chris Keyes, Homecoming committee chairman of the Carolina Athletics Association, hopes to promote the election with a new kind of event.

“On Tuesday, Nov. 6, we will have a meet-the-candidates night at McAlister’s (Deli), and any money we raise goes to the candidates’ service projects,” he said.

Though Keyes tries to get the word out through various committee efforts, he said his committee mostly leaves campaigning and raising awareness about the election to the candidates.

These candidates and their friends typically campaign in the Pit during the two weeks leading up to Homecoming weekend.

Senior Taylor Hartley campaigned for Colleen Daly for Miss UNC and coordinated a social media effort.

Hartley is a former Opinion Editor at The Daily Tar Heel.

“We’ve got a large online presence on Facebook and Twitter,” she said.

“We are also spreading the word about her and reminding people of her name.

“We feel like we have a strong message and if we can spread the word, we will have a large turnout on election day,” she added.

Senior Ariel Roberts, who campaigned for Briana Hudson, said she likes advertising in the Pit because it’s the best place to reach people.

“We’re relating to students by being in the Pit and reaching out to the student body. Being loud will get people’s attention,” she said.

Students can vote for Mr. and Miss UNC on Friday, Nov. 9.

To vote, students should log onto Student Life with their ONYEN at studentlife.unc.edu.

Contact the desk editor at
university@dailytarheel.com.