PIERCE COLLEGE : Less Than 1% of Students Voted

Less than 1% of the students at Pierce College voted in the annual election for student body officers last month, officials said.

Only 123 of nearly 17,000 students voted--less than half the number who cast ballots in last year’s elections.

Associated Student Organization adviser Judy Ponsor said that last year the candidates were “very competitive, which made the elections more exciting and generates people’s interest more.”

‘The low turnout is due to the lack of publicity by the candidates,” said Arnie Blitstein, the new student body treasurer. “Except for the day of the elections, they didn’t publicize themselves--and I’m one of the guilty ones.”

Other officers elected were Robert Atkins, president, and Lakshitha (Saji) Prelis, vice president.

“I’m interested in working hard, finding out what needs to be done and doing the best I can to get things done within the scope of the presidential powers,” Atkins said.

Ponsor and student leaders also attributed the low turnout to the fact that students don’t carry their registration cards, which they need to show in order to vote.

A lot of people don’t even realize that the registration card is their student ID, said Robert Garber, acting dean of student services. “When we get student ID cards, it will be easier.”

Photo identification cards could be issued to Pierce students as early as next spring, Garber said. They will serve as the official student identification for use of the campus bookstore, library and business office, he said.

Pierce is involved in the student ID program as a pilot project for the Los Angeles Community College district, Garber said.