The ASUNM Senate clarified laws governing polling locations and passed resolutions thanking outgoing UNM President Bill Gordon and executive agency Student Special Events as it started winding down activities for the semester.
Section One of Article VI of the Associated Students of UNM Lawbook previously stipulated that polling locations for the undergraduate student elections should be in or near nine campus buildings. Bill 33B amended the law to mandate that the polling locations be inside those buildings.
Some senators said they thought the law should stay the way it was because the option of voting outdoors could have advantages.
"We should leave the decision of restricting the locations to outside to the Elections Commission," Sen. Sarah Bullard said. "If it was outside in a high-traffic area, we could get more voters."
But others disagreed.
Sen. Nick Huffmeyer pointed that if the original wording remained and the Elections Commission decided to allow an outdoor polling place, the Election Code would have to be changed. The code mandates that candidates who are campaigning near a polling location must not come within 25 feet of the entrance to the building in which the polling place is located.
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Sen. Tim Serna said he was worried about the distant possibility of corruption by candidates in a slate or the Election Commission.
"With 'or near,' we could have the commission move the location behind Mitchell Hall and not tell anybody," he said. "I know it sounds shady, but you never know."
The bill was eventually passed to limit polling places to within buildings.
Senators also passed two joint resolutions.
Resolution 3B thanked Gordon for his 24 years of service to the University. Gordon announced during Spring Break that he planned to retire and take over as provost at his alma mater, Wake Forrest University.
Resolution 4B commended Student Special Events, an executive agency that plans and promotes entertainment and other programs for the University, such as speakers. The organization is responsible for planning the upcoming Fiestas event on April 20. The day-long party will include performances by pop singer Lisa Loeb, local punk band The Eyeliners and Earth Day speakers. Student organizations also will be participating in the event.
During the same meeting, the Senate passed a $1,035 allocation for Students Educating Peers About Sex to purchase a new computer, as well as $2,249 in allocations for other student groups. Bullard reminded senators to inform student groups that money not spent by June 1 would revert back to the ASUNM general fund.
