USI referendum

lithiumoxide

I graduated from DCU a good few years ago so haven't really been paying much attention to the latest USI referendum. I read in TheJournal.ie today that it passed by one vote (726 to 725).

Does anyone know if a recount is being demanded by anyone?

lithiumoxide

lithiumoxide wrote: »

Does anyone know if a recount is being demanded by anyone?

It was an online vote - no need for a recount.

I hate the USI as much as the next person but the "No" side were pretty damn bad - no sign of them at all. Rumour has it, they didn't even debate at the debate.

lithiumoxide

It wasn't completely online though, was it? I'm just wondering how it might fit in with the constitution on recounts and validity of spoiled ballots and so on.

I'll have to dig out the SU Constitution and flick through it again.

lithiumoxide

Deleted User wrote: »

Rumour has it, they didn't even debate at the debate.

By the by, this seems to be the debate: http://thecollegeview.com/2014/02/25/liveblog-usi-hustings/

To be honest, there is more noise now from the No side than there was in the lead up to the referendum...it has passed unfortunately. Best that can be hoped for is a referendum to dis-affiliate although by then, the people with the power will be too engaged in USI to want to...

clairek6

Im in first and was not spoken to by anyone from the no side, two seperate yes side people came into lectures to talk to us and you couldnt avoid them all around campus this week either

Byron85

clairek6 wrote: »

Im in first and was not spoken to by anyone from the no side, two seperate yes side people came into lectures to talk to us and you couldnt avoid them all around campus this week either

Which is probably the only time you'll see reps from the USI on campus.

During the re-affiliation vote in UCC three years ago we were blessed with the presence of Gary Redmond, and I presume some of his cohorts, although I didn't see any of the latter.

Of course there wasn't a sign of any of them in the previous three years I was there. They only showed up for the vote. Gotta keep those affiliation fees pouring in I suppose.

clairek6

Byron85 wrote: »

Which is probably the only time you'll see reps from the USI on campus.

During the re-affiliation vote in UCC three years ago we were blessed with the presence of Gary Redmond, and I presume some of his cohorts, although I didn't see any of the latter.

Of course there wasn't a sign of any of them in the previous three years I was there. They only showed up for the vote. Gotta keep those affiliation fees pouring in I suppose.

Either way the lack of presence from a no side is what deterred me from voting.

Tramps Like Us

I assume someone hs challenged it, if not they should, because evoting is clearly unconstitutional

lithiumoxide

Tramps Like Us wrote: »

I assume someone hs challenged it, if not they should, because evoting is clearly unconstitutional

This is what I'm wondering, with the Returning Officer being unable to check ballots and stuff, or people being unable to request a recount.

And of course, Moodle has been hacked before. Now, I'm sure that probably wouldn't have happened here (otherwise there'd be larger numbers, I'd imagine), but you'd question the integrity of evoting via Moodle in general.

That said, I might be completely paranoid and I'm sure someone will put my mind at ease!

Tramps Like Us

Implicit in the wording of the constitution and the articles therein about referendums and voting is that there shall be physical ballots.

This is the third or forth unconstitutional vote in the last few years, and its all down to stupidity.

PunkFreud

In fairness now lads, does it really matter in the bigger picture what happened in the vote? Being in the USI essentially changes nothing in our lives, other than the €8 additional contribution.

phantom_lord

PunkFreud wrote: »

In fairness now lads, does it really matter in the bigger picture what happened in the vote? Being in the USI essentially changes nothing in our lives, other than the €8 additional contribution.

There should be a good reason for shipping off 90k of DCU students money imo.

BasedHobbes

http://bit.ly/1mKoQSk

Shameless plug for the petition to hold a disaffiliation referendum next semester. Not the most ideal option, but the only one DCU has to reopen the question now. 200 votes and a referendum is mandatory.

Tramps Like Us

Finlay wrote: »

http://bit.ly/1mKoQSk

Shameless plug for the petition to hold a disaffiliation referendum next semester. Not the most ideal option, but the only one DCU has to reopen the question now. 200 votes and a referendum is mandatory.

Would ye not challenge the result on constitutional grounds?

Steodonn

This is the second time its past and another vote is just going to lead to more people not caring I doubt another one would even reach qourm ( or whatever its called ). We are in USI I don't really care either way in the scheme of things 8 extra euro a year for college is noting.

Implicit in the wording of the constitution and the articles therein about referendums and voting is that there shall be physical ballots.

Could you provide the wording because according to the SU and Collegeveiw its not

Tramps Like Us

Its not expressly stated but it is implied:

9.5 Ballot Counting
9.5.1.1 The counting procedures shall be in accordance with the system of proportional
representation by the single transferable vote method.
9.5.2 In General elections campaign managers or candidates may call a recount of ballots
up to six hours after the completion of a first count.
9.5.3 In a Referendum a recount may be called by five voting members of Class Rep
council.
9.5.4 Any recount shall take place within one academic day of the end of the first count,
and ballots shall be held securely until such time as the recount begins.
9.5.5 Campaign managers or candidates may request to examine spoiled ballot papers in
the presence of the Returning Officer.
9.5.6 The examination of spoiled ballots shall take place within two academic days of the
completion of a recount.
9.5.7 Notice of results and details of the counts shall be posted within one academic day
of the end of the counts.

Plus:

9.4 General Election, Election & Referendum Polling
9.4.1 There shall be a minimum of three clearly advertised polling stations provided in
convenient locations and distributed across campus.
9.4.2 Voting shall be possible at a minimum of three locations for at least seven hours and
must be possible for a further two hours at a single location after 7pm on at least
one day of polling.
9.4.3 No canvassing shall take place on polling days within a 10-metre radius of any polling
station.
9.4.4 The number of voting days shall be decided by Class Representative Council, with a
minimum of two days voting.
9.4.5 Only a University I.D. Card or a letter from the Registry confirming student status
shall be accepted as authentication of a students I.D. number.

SU and the College View are either ignorant or lying - it is clearly implied that the "ballots" be physical ballots, for examination etc

p1akuw47h5r3it

Steodonn wrote: »

This is the second time its past and another vote is just going to lead to more people not caring I doubt another one would even reach qourm ( or whatever its called ). We are in USI I don't really care either way in the scheme of things 8 extra euro a year for college is noting.



Could you provide the wording because according to the SU and Collegeveiw its not

8 quid isn't a lot but it's my 8 quid. 8 quid that I don't want to give to an organisation that is simply a massive waste of time, to pay for a handful of people to have the handiest full-time jobs on the go, for an organisation that is "fighting" for me even though I don't agree on it's stance on tuition fees.

The USI is a joke. There should be an option when paying your fees whether you want to throw 8 quid to the USI or not.

Tramps Like Us

DanDan6592 wrote: »

8 quid isn't a lot but it's my 8 quid. 8 quid that I don't want to give to an organisation that is simply a massive waste of time, to pay for a handful of people to have the handiest full-time jobs on the go, for an organisation that is "fighting" for me even though I don't agree on it's stance on tuition fees.

The USI is a joke. There should be an option when paying your fees whether you want to throw 8 quid to the USI or not.

Keep an eye on this:

http://www.broadsheet.ie/tag/ucd-students-union/

USI is nothing less than an addition to a CV for wannabe politicians and other crooks in training. USI membership only serves to undermine student activism and radicalism which is next to non existent anyway because all activism ever amounts to is election campaigns. Despite the record emigration and attacks on students and young people the USI now only has "press events" where the usual suspects can get their faces out there in some whimsical way which does nothing approaching rocking the boat - they dont even have the march anymore because they are afraid their CV may get tarnished if people do more than politely whisper their disaffection.

p1akuw47h5r3it

Tramps Like Us wrote: »

Keep an eye on this:

http://www.broadsheet.ie/tag/ucd-students-union/

USI is nothing less than an addition to a CV for wannabe politicians and other crooks in training. USI membership only serves to undermine student activism and radicalism which is next to non existent anyway because all activism ever amounts to is election campaigns. Despite the record emigration and attacks on students and young people the USI now only has "press events" where the usual suspects can get their faces out there in some whimsical way which does nothing approaching rocking the boat - they dont even have the march anymore because they are afraid their CV may get tarnished if people do more than politely whisper their disaffection.

Well hopefully he goes through with it and wins!