The changes in the Student Government Association elections may not be apparent to most students, but those running for a position know there’s a difference.

Hurricane Katrina and new election bylaws have changed the way elections are held this semester, and freshmen are feeling the changed the most.

Unable to run for positions in the fall semester as a result of Loyola’s closure, they were forced to begin campaigning within the first two weeks of the spring semester.

“It felt rushed and a little stressful to have to … think about running for office right away this semester, especially after not really being able to get to know that much about campus,” d’Auria Groux-Holt, communications freshman, wrote in an e-mail. “(But) there was no question that coming back after Hurricane Katrina I would run to represent my fellow students in a time of great change.”

Michelle Clarke, communications senior and SGA president, said it was a good turnout for the circumstances.

“A lot of people were enthusiastic about running for freshmen elections,” she said. Freshmen have to run again next week in the general elections, two months after many secured spots in SGA.

“It was fully worth joining SGA for only two months before having to run again,” Groux-Holt wrote.

Kassie Chapel, music performance freshman, wrote in an e-mail that the process of campaigning again was crazy, though fun.

“(It) makes me realize that my term this semester is soon approaching an end,” she wrote.

Another change affecting all candidates is the new SGA election bylaws, which are in their second year of use after a trial run last election.

The bylaws were drafted in early 2005 by Amarena Diaz, communications senior, in order to “keep it fair,” she said. “We just wanted (the bylaws) to help the candidates.”

The bylaws changed polices on various topics, ranging from specifying appropriate advertising by candidates to clarifying penalties for disobeying the bylaws.

“Some of (the bylaws) seem extreme at first, but it is just to make sure everyone has a fair chance,” Robin Abbot, music therapy freshman, wrote in an e-mail.

The bylaws were refined because previous commissioners of elections were picking and choosing which rules to follow, Diaz said, who was commissioner of elections last year. The rules were also vague, she said.

One of the most important aspects of the bylaws is specific spending limits for different candidates, Diaz said. Those running for president, vice president and congressperson at-

large can spend up to $300, college presidents up to $200 and representatives up to $100. This allows student voters to see more advertising from the main positions, Diaz said. Also, it ensures “everyone has access to the same materials,” she said. One change that will affect student voters is the voting process.

SGA hopes to use an online voting system, instead of the paper ballots that have been used previously.

“An online method would be more efficient, more secure and the results would be instant,” said Michael Cowen, communications junior and SGA commissioner of elections. “We want something that is not so dinosaur-esque.”

SGA is considering several methods, including Blackboard and computer kiosks on the Danna Center porch, but the final decision won’t be made until the weekend. Paper ballots will still be used as a backup method.

“The method of voting is a huge change,” said Cowen.

In the past, SGA has rented voting booths from the state, which Cowen said was a “high price to pay.”

This year, the SGA was unable to secure voting booths because of the hurricane.

Meghan Wasson can be reached at [email protected] reporting by Lindsey Netherly.