Why UW's Election Day Policy Could Change FOREVER: Shocking New Proposal Revealed!

In a significant move aimed at enhancing student participation in the electoral process, members of the Associated Students of Madison (ASM) have proposed an amendment to the University of Wisconsin’s election day policy. The amendment, presented to the Faculty Senate, seeks to extend excused absences for student election officials to cover the early voting period, as noted by ASM vote coordinator Alisha Latham.

On March 23, Latham, along with shared governance chair Genevieve Lambert and intern coordinator Allison Breitzmann, put forth the proposal to amend UW policy II-110. Currently, this policy only grants excused absences to student election officials for the official election day, leaving a gap during the early voting period.

“Especially on campus, students really stepped up and filled a lot of those [election official roles],” said Latham. “The language in how the policy is currently written really limits students to only be able to get [excused] absences from class on officially marked university-recognized election days.” This limitation has become increasingly pertinent as more students have taken on election roles, particularly since the November 2020 general election, when fears about COVID-19 led to a shortage of traditional election officials, who are often older.

Wisconsin's system permits in-person absentee voting, allowing voters to cast their ballots starting 14 days before the official election day and ending the Sunday before. This setup has made the roles of student election officials essential as the number of students engaging in these positions has risen. According to Latham, ASM began exploring the policy about a year and a half ago due to this uptick, and Lambert subsequently raised concerns with the secretary of the faculty, Heather Daniels.

“The Faculty Senate’s the large deliberative body for faculty governance on campus,” Daniels explained. “They are the decision-makers in some areas, like their policies and procedures, academic calendar … pass resolutions about things that they don’t necessarily control, but they want to share their opinion on.” To introduce a proposal, individuals not part of the Faculty Senate must present it through a committee, a senator, or via a petition signed by ten faculty members.

Latham’s group has already secured interest from faculty members, but they are currently looking for a co-sponsor from the Faculty Senate to move the amendment forward for a vote. “The university committee was pretty receptive,” said Latham. “We have a very civically engaged campus, and most professors are very willing to work with students that are election officials.” However, concerns were raised about the possibility of students misusing the amended policy to excuse absences without sufficient justification.

To address these concerns, Latham mentioned that they are open to adjusting the language of the amendment to prevent potential abuse before it goes to a full vote before the Faculty Senate. “Student election officials know how it works to have to miss content,” Latham noted. “They know that they’re not going to be able to attend class if they’re working.” The data supports her assertion; student election officials typically work an average of three to six days during the in-person absentee voting session, alongside election day, which limits the potential for repeated absences.

Under the current policy, students must notify professors of their absence on election day at least two weeks in advance. The proposed amendment would require them to notify professors two weeks prior to their first in-person absentee voting shift. Moreover, students would also bear the responsibility for managing any missed work during their shifts, shifting the onus from professors to students. “The onus is really going to fall on a student election official to have to make up that work and plan when that work is going to be made up,” Latham explained.

Another change proposed in the amendment aims to strengthen the language around ensuring that election days are free from major assignments for students, demanding a firmer commitment from professors. The proposal is currently pending until a Faculty Senate co-sponsor is secured, after which it will be brought before the entire Senate for a vote. Faculty Senate meetings occur monthly throughout the academic year from October to May, and they are open to the public.

“We’ve had some interest [in cosponsoring from Senators], but obviously this is kind of a very busy time of year,” Latham concluded. “It would be presented at the next Faculty Senate meeting after we secure the co-sponsor.” This initiative reflects a growing recognition of the vital role students play in the democratic process and their commitment to civic engagement.