The Student Senate spent Wednesday night wrapped up in controversy surrounding the online voting bill and its process of submission to the president.
Prior to the Senate’s meeting, Student Government President Allen Richey vetoed the bill, which would amend the election code to include online voting from computers at any location through PAWS.
Richey said his decision to veto was primarily based on the new code’s definition of “active campaigning.”
Richey said the new code would allow candidates to verbally ask for students’ votes throughout the entire year and he did not feel it is what students want.
Although many senators supported Richey’s decision, many expressed opposition because they believed students want online voting.
Despite opposition expressed by several senators, the Senate voted 18 to 14 to uphold Richey’s veto, so the new code will not go into effect.
“I am disappointed that the Senate chose to uphold the veto; however, the body has committed itself to giving students the chance to vote online in the near future,” said Sen. Heath Hattaway. “While I disagree with the president’s decision, I respect it and look forward to a compromise bill in the spring.”
Sen. Jay Buller said he thought the amendments to the code and the amendment to move to an online voting system would help SG by improving voter turnout and help it represent the student body more accurately. Buller said he did not see the difference between gathering people to support a campaign and specifically asking them to vote for a candidate.
“I believe the problem with voter turnout is a much bigger problem than whether or not a candidate can say ‘vote,'” Buller said.
Speaker Pro-Tempore Jessica Wainwright said the SG Bylaws will not allow the Senate to bring up the bill for review until the next fiscal year.
But Sen. Jeremy Griggs said the bill can be brought up for consideration again as early as next week as long as the nature of the bill is changed.
“I think it’s great that the senate is making steps to ensure that the election code we will eventually pass will reflect the interests and desires of all LSU students,” Sen. Neal Hebert said.
Despite the vote to uphold Richey’s veto, Hebert said he does not think the bill will die and the Senate will have another chance to give the students what they want.
The Senate also spent part of its meeting discussing the process the Senate staff used to submit the bill to Richey and the fate of the staff members.
Senate Speaker Michael Busada told the Senate Wednesday he had asked the appointed members of his staff to resign Tuesday night. His decision followed a mix-up Friday afternoon where members of the Senate staff submitted an incorrect copy of the bill to Richey for his consideration and took inappropriate measures to correct their mistakes.
“We had a meeting, I realized there was only one decision to make and I made it,” Busada said. “I asked them to resign.”
At Wednesday’s Senate meeting, Busada said he accepts the blame for the mix-ups with the election code bill and did not base his decision to request his staff’s resignation solely on these events.
Busada said he has spent too much time this semester working out problems among the staff members and the senators. He stressed the point that he did not fire them but requested their resignation.
Although he praised the work each had accomplished, Busada said his decision was based on a culmination of communication problems.
Wainwright said the legislative assistants were asked to resign, but she was remaining neutral in the situation to best serve the Senate.
Before the speaker’s explanation, Legislative Assistants Daniel Nunes and Ralph Johnson, who each reportedly had a part in the mix-up with the election code bill, took the opportunity to explain their feelings to the Senate.
“I’ve been asked to resign, and I don’t feel like it was correct,” Nunes said in front of the Senate body. “I work my butt off to be here. I’m willing to work and do what we have to do to serve the students.”
Nunes said he did not feel he was given the chance to prove himself capable.
Johnson took responsibility for his mistakes and promised to get his job done “until the end.”
Both Nunes and Johnson left the podium to rounds of applause from the senators.
“I think it’s unfortunate that Speaker Busada chose to ask for his staff’s resignation rather than attempt to work through their problems together,” Hebert said. “However, that is his privilege as speaker just as it is my privilege to disagree with him. I respect his decision because he believes he is doing the correct thing for the students of LSU. I just disagree with him and the way in which he thinks the students will be best served.”
Several other senators also expressed their opposition to the Speaker’s decision and their support for the staff.
“I encourage the staff to put up the fight and not automatically give up just because they were asked to resign,” Sen. Theresa LoBianco said.
In a press release from the Senate office, Busada said the staff is made up of “extremely wonderful and talented individuals,” but “much more is required to have a successful team.”
“I am working privately with the staff and will make a decision that will allow me to fulfill the pledge that I made to the students who elected me,” Busada said in the press release.
No staff members had announced their decisions about resignation by press time.