Despite the fact that not all University 1 (U1) students claim to know much about the University of Manitoba’s Students’ Union (UMSU), they comprise the highest percentile group for UMSU election voter turnout.
Heather Kuppe, a U1 student said, “Obviously, I’ve heard of UMSU, but I’m not even really sure of all the things they do. [ . . . ] I really don’t know a whole lot about UMSU other than they run the shuttle bus and plan pancake breakfasts.”
Jessica Thiessen, another U1 student said, “I know it’s been around for a long time and does a good job representing the students and making the U of M a better place to go.”
U1 voter turn-out saw a more than 100 per cent increase from 2008 to 2009, rising from 714 votes to 1,436 votes, which accounts for approximately 30 per cent of the U1 student population.
According to Jason Van Rooy, the chief returning officer (CRO), U1 tends to have the largest number of voters partly because “it’s exciting, because you’re new to school. Getting involved is fresh and people want to be really involved when they first get here.”
Kayley McGrath, a U1 student who plans on voting this year said, “It is very important for students to vote. Participating helps students to feel more a part of the student body. A vote is a place to have a voice.”
However, Kuppe who doesn’t plan on voting said, “Yes, I think it is important for students to vote as long as they know what they are voting for. It’s not going to do any good if everyone votes just for the sake of voting however.”
Van Rooy said that classroom talks are not only a mandatory part of the election bylaws, but are also a big contributing factor for the high U1 student voter turn-out, since U1 classes tend to be the largest and students are more likely to vote for people who actually talked to them face to face.
“During the elections there’s just so many people out there talking to many large groups. And U1 is the largest group, so they get talked to more,” he said.
He continued, “Once U1 students learn what UMSU is, they tend to get more involved.”
When asked about the importance of student involvement on campus, McGrath said, “I think being involved on campus is an essential part to the entire experience of being a student. However in U1 it takes time to get used to all the changes from high school, so I feel it’s an option better suited for the following years.”
Thiessen, who also plans on voting said, “It is important for students to be involved and know what the current issues are. [ . . . ] It’s always a good thing to vote.”
UMSU elections are March 3-5.
