Where did the five per cent go?
illustration by Alex Martin
“LET’S SOAK UP the success.”
That’s what the Fulcrum wrote on this page last year when we believed a voter turnout of 27.2 per cent in the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) elections in February 2009 was heralding a “trend of ever-increasing voter turnout and involvement on campus.”
Was our cautious optimism a little premature? Perhaps. But matched with a Canadian Federation of Students membership referendum that brought 21 per cent of students out to the polls early last academic year, in November 2008, it did indeed seem that undergraduate voter apathy was on its way out the door.
How did SFUO elections do this year? We’ve obviously regressed. When the polls were open Feb. 9–11, only 21.9 per cent of undergraduate voters cast ballots to elect the new SFUO executive and Board of Administration.
While it would be ignorant of the Fulcrum to declare this a total failure, as 21.9 per cent is still a healthy increase over the years leading up to 2009, we can’t help but ask: what happened to those five per cent of students?
While one could assume last year’s graduating class was full of active, informed students who have since been replaced by a large group of ignorant first-years, that seems unrealistic. A mix of active and inactive individuals study at every level at this university, and on top of that, enrolment has been on the rise over the last few years.
The only reasonable explanation for the decline in voter turnout, then, is that five per cent specifically chose not to vote this year. And when eligible, knowledgeable voters who are aware of the SFUO and the elections make the conscious decision to ignore the process, there’s a problem.
One recurring topic that came up multiple times over the campaign period was the idea of barriers—physical or otherwise—that exist between regular students and the SFUO. While the “clique” perception of our students’ union can be debated, there’s no denying the fact that many legitimately cannot access the SFUO. Even if they had the best intentions of participating in the democratic process, many students were prevented from voting online on the first day of the SFUO elections, as they did not receive the PIN needed to log in and vote (several Fulcrum staff included).
While our campus is not the only one, certainly, to be suffering from this condition, there are other schools that apparently have this whole student community thing figured out. Take a look at St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia. While their student population (just under 5,000) pales in comparison to the U of O’s massive 35,000, and they focus much more on undergraduate studies than graduate programs, St. FX rakes in glowing reviews from students who relay their satisfaction to Maclean’s for top marks every year. And what’s more, for the second year in a row, their undergraduate student union elections have boasted a voter turnout of just over 60 per cent.
What’s wrong with us?
Yes, having a smaller population is certainly to St. FX’s advantage. And fine, blame our decline in turnout on apathy, unawareness, or ignorance. But it’s the responsibility of a student union to create an inclusive and inviting campus environment—one where students don’t need to be poked and prodded to head to the polls. The Fulcrum has called for it before, and we’ll call for it again: the sense of community on this campus needs to improve, and it’s up to the SFUO to spearhead that movement in whatever ways they can.
Luckily, undergrads have gained something coming out of these elections: a fresh executive. They may assume their roles only on May 1, but when it comes to picking out priorities—which should include creating an efficient SFUO elections office next year and recognizing there is work to be done to improve the student experience—there’s no better time than the present.
editor@thefulcrum.ca
