ASB election update: Student Government checking for voter fraud

PHOTO: The Davis High ASB election took place this week with measures in place to protect the integrity of the results.

By Genna Olavarri,

BlueDevilHUB.com Editor–

Throughout this week’s All Student Body representative election, Student Government has taken measures to prevent voter fraud and protect the integrity of the election results. However, students still found ways to influence the outcome of the student body election.

“We design the Google Form to require authentication, a [Davis Joint Unified School District] email and one vote per person,” Student Government teacher Anthony Vasquez said. “I then cross check results with [Davis High] student rosters.”

When voting on the Google Form, students also had to include their current grade as to prevent the most common form of voter fraud from past years: ineligible students attempting to cast votes for their peers.

“In past years it’s been difficult because a lot of seniors try to vote for their junior friends,” ASB Vice President Eli Yasui said.

Despite their efforts, the system may not have been fool proof. On a DHS student Discord server with over 200 members, a DHS student discussed a strategy to increase votes for one of the ASB president candidates. 

“If any juniors or sophomores do not wish to vote for ASB representatives, please DM your name and @djusdstudents email to me or a member of the [candidate’s] campaign team,” the student wrote. “It’s not identity theft if you consent.”

While the student body will have to wait until sometime next week to learn the election results, candidates were supposed to be contacted individually on Feb. 13 with the news. 

“I think they did that last year too, where they called us privately. Then we get to know like ‘oh we won’ or ‘oh we lost’ before everyone else does,” ASB presidential candidate junior Chloe Barr said.

“I like that we get to know sooner instead of in like a week. The sooner the better,” Barr said.

However, according to junior and ASB vice-president candidate Alicia Joo, the candidates had still not received the results as of Tuesday Feb. 16 due to an investigation into the potential vote tampering.

According to Vasquez, results may be released in an advisory video. “I am excited to get new voices and perspectives in Student Government, and I am honored that they still want to work and lead in the era of distance learning,” Vasquez said. 

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