CSUN to Test Voting by Tone Telephone

Cal State Northridge will test touch-tone telephone voting this week, Associated Students President Fabio Escobar said Monday.

Starting at 6 a.m. Tuesday and continuing until 9 p.m. Wednesday, CSUN students will be able to call in their votes for school senate seats, homecoming queen and her court and two referendums.

To vote, students must call (818) 885-3000 and first enter their student identification number, birth date and a four-digit personal identification code, Escobar said.

Because the results will be computerized, Escobar said, the votes will be counted by 10 p.m. Wednesday.

“It’s risky, but it’s a good experiment,” said Escobar, who supported using the new touch-tone voting system to increase the university’s low voter turn-out, which is generally around 6%.

The touch-tone system has met some opposition among student senators. Brad Stample said election costs have risen from $9,000 to $25,000 because of the implementation of the new technology needed for the touch-tone voting.

Stample also criticized the voting plan for being unorganized and too open to manipulation.

“I’m a student senator, and I haven’t gotten my ballot in the mail yet,” Stample said.

He added that if he wants to receive his personal identification code and ballot, he will have to go to the admissions building to do so.