A slow and steady flow of student voters turned out Tuesday for the 2006 Black Student Union election at the African American Cultural Center.
BSU elections have been criticized in the past for being held manually in the AACC and not having an online voting system similar to Student Government and Homecoming elections.
BSU members disagree about whether the current voting system should be revised.
 
Derrick Petit, political science and history junior and BSU presidential candidate, said part of his platform is pushing to put BSU elections on PAWS.
His running mate Ashanti Corey, psychology junior, said it is important because “whether they know it or not, every student at LSU is a member of the BSU.”
She said last year it rained on election day, which contributed to the low voter turnout.
In a March 30, 2005, article The Daily Reveille reported that only 172 students voted in the 2005 BSU election, and 161 students voted in the vice-presidential run-off election.
Ralph Johnson, BSU election committee chair, said this past year he unsuccessfully pushed to get the voting online, but he now thinks the BSU might be better off without it.
“Only the active members come to vote,” Johnson said. “If we put it online, the organization could be hijacked by people who aren’t involved with the BSU. The people who vote are people who care enough to come out. How can you vote for something that you know nothing about?”
BSU presidential candidate Alex Frilot, African-American studies sophomore, said she sees the good and bad of holding voting at the AACC.
She agreed that most of those who take the time to vote are the students who are most involved in the BSU, but she also said that because it is not as convenient as an online vote, many students forget or do not want to take the time to walk to the AACC.
BSU presidential candidate Shayla Edwards, business administration sophomore, said she expects the turnout to be higher this year for the election because last year students felt there was not enough competition.
“This year there is more competition,” Edwards said. “I feel like students will get out and vote.”
Toward the end of the voting period Tuesday, Johnson said he thinks the voter participation was much higher than last year.
The results of the BSU election will be announced at 5 p.m. today at the AACC.
 
Contact Rebekah Allen at [email protected]