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Second day for early voting, primary focus on Prop. 4

Written by Ali Mustansir, The Shorthorn senior staff

Monday, 26 October 2009 08:11 PM

Nonstudents, Meg and Jason Weber take part in early voting Monday in the University Center Palo Duro Lounge. The UC is a temporary early voting location and will only be available until 5 p.m. today. (The Shorthorn: Chris Hudson)

During the first day of early voting at the university, 74 voters participated, lead clerk Brad Browne said.

Student Congress sponsored early voting in the University Center Palo Duro Lounge on Monday and will again Tuesday. SC President Kent Long said the important thing about early voting is getting university stakeholders’ voice heard.

Browne said he was in Dalworthington Gardens last week, where 63 people participated over three days. He said the likely reason is Dalworthington Gardens is smaller.

Political science junior Anthony Flores said he likes early voting because voters can avoid the lines that comes with voting in the regular session.

“People trying to talk you one way or another,” Flores said. “This way you just get to come in and vote.”

Browne said turnout depends on what is voted on. He said no names on this ballot draw in voters. In 2008, site volunteers reported that 835 people voted in the presidential election during the university’s first early voting day, according to a previous Shorthorn article.

Early Voting: When & Where

Where: University Center Palo Duro Lounge
When: 8 a.m.–5 p.m. today

“Nobody expected this to be a big turnout,” Browne said.

University President James Spaniolo sent an e-mail to students Thursday reminding them to vote early, focusing on Proposition 4.

Proposition 4 is part of House Bill 51, or “the Tier One bill.” HB 51 was written to assist the seven Texas emerging research institutions: UTA, UT-Dallas, UT-El Paso, UT-San Antonio, University of Houston, University of North Texas and Texas Tech, become nationally-recognized research institutions. Proposition 4 would reallocate the $500 million Texas Higher Education Fund to the National Research University Fund.

Information

For more information on the Propositions on the ballot, please go to: http://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/voter/2009novballotexp.shtml

Long said he supports Proposition 4 because it has no negatives, such as new taxes.

“At the end of the day, more funding for Texas higher education is invaluable,” Long said.

Flores said he voted against Proposition 4 because professors will focus more on research than teaching. He said his brother is a professor at another Texas university and focuses more on research. Flores declined to state where his brother teaches.

“Overall, it is a good sentiment,” Flores said. “I think the idea is well placed, but the end result will be detrimental to the university.”
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 27 January 2010 03:34 PM )

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