After weeks of intense campaigning and debates on whether to save this campus' sports program, voters made history at the recent Associate Students Inc. elections.

The total turnout for the ASI elections this year was 4,257, compared to last year's turnout of about 2,500 voters.

Most voters came to the polls for the athletics referendum, which was on the ballot as well. The athletics referendum drew 5,224 voters this year, 967 more voters than the ASI elections.

However, more stayed to vote for ASI candidates this year. Last year, when the referendum accompanied the ASI elections, turnout for the referendum saw about 6,000 more voters than the elections.

"With recent budget cuts, I hope someone stands up for us," said Giao Le, a 28-year-old BECA major. "I voted because I want to make sure students' voices are being heard."

Horace Montgomery, leadership development coordinator for ASI, attributes the turnout to the energy and enthusiasm of this year’s candidates.

First-time voter Chris Lisciandro, 21, came to vote for the athletics referendum but voted in the ASI elections as well. Lisciandro, a speech communications major, said that he voted for Chris Jackson, who won the ASI presidency, because he seemed to believe in what he was talking about.

The first thing Jackson plans to work on is forming an ASI team that will focus on reaching out to students. He said he plans on going into classes and informing students about ASI.

“Semester by semester, I want to outreach and talk to at least 10,000 students,” said Jackson.
“I want ASI to take an active role in making lives of students better,” said Jackson, 21. “(I want students) to know who we are, what we do and how we can better serve them.”

Fellow SF4U slate member Maire Fowler will join Jackson as the new vice president of internal affairs. Fowler ran against Phil Kan, a 20-year-old political science major. Joining them in ASI's executive board are Think Pink slate members Jamie Domingo, vice president of finance, and Josef Anolin, vice president of external affairs.

"I am excited to have the opportunity to put my plans into action," said Fowler, 21, following the final ballot count on Tuesday. Fowler plans to create a five-year plan for ASI and advocate alternatives to handling budget cuts without fee increases for students.

Fowler, along with eight other elected candidates, won on the SF4U slate. Think Pink, the other main slate, had eight members elected into office. Two candidates unaffiliated with either slate also won seats on the 19-member board.

Slates, although not officially endorsed by ASI, promote a bipartisan government, said Leslye Tinson, an ASI office assistant. Slates are formed around candidates with the understanding that being part of a slate will increase voter turnout.

Georgiana Esquivias, a science and engineering representative candidate, said she was attracted to SF4U because she saw that Jackson had a plan, so she approached him about running on their slate.
“We were on the same page,” said Esquivias, who lost to Viet-Thi Ta of Think Pink by a mere 12 votes.
Jonathan Kakacek, Jackson’s opponent for ASI president, said that former candidates, even though not elected to office, should still continue to be involved.

“(They’ve) already shown so much interest and spirit,” said Kakacek, 23.

Kakacek, who lost by 537 votes, said he plans on still being involved with ASI.

Jackson and Fowler's main proposal is to combat budget cuts. Fowler said she will advocate for alternatives to fee increases.

ASI should stop walking hand in hand with the narrow agenda of the administration, she added.
Fowler, who was the junior class representative for 2004-2005, said she chose to run for vice president of internal affairs because she believes change comes from within in organizations like the student government.

"You have to put your socks on before your shoes," said Fowler.

Many candidates said that students are unaware of ASI, the events the group sponsors and what is taking place right here on campus.

"Why is it that we have freshmen living on campus who have no idea that there is a basketball game going on?" said Neha Shah, write-in business representative candidate. Shah, currently the freshman representative, lost to Chavon Smith by 10 votes.

Many candidates discussed implementing a new reader board at SF State, similar to the one at San Diego State University, which informs students about upcoming events.

"The big problem is that people really don't know what's happening on campus," Domingo said.
Domingo said he will recommend the allocation of funds to get a reader board, which would most likely be placed in a high-student-traffic area like on 19th Avenue or near the Cesar Chavez Student Center.

"I voted because I care about my school," said Grace Hernandez, 20, kinesiology major. "Whatever changes are made will directly affect me."