As due dates grow closer for class officer election day, Carlmont’s Associated Student Body (ASB) prepares the quad for Carlmont students to vote. However, some students wonder where the votes go after that.
The answer lies deep within our school’s ASB class. Elections have taken place for over 17 years at Carlmont High School without any issues, and ASB “hopes to keep it that way for this year and the future,” said ASB Supervisor Jim Kelly.
Many students are left oblivious as to the next step their vote will take after being placed in the ballot box, thus raising an important question: how does ASB count votes?
“First, we print a ballot with candidates,” Kelly said. Candidates are required to submit a packet containing 85 signatures from students of the respective grade of the candidate, a list of the candidates grades from first through sixth period with teacher signatures, and lastly the candidate must sign a small contract at the end of the packet vowing to fulfill their respective position.
As a result of the election packet, Kelly is able to “grasp a better understanding” of the students who want to run their class.
“After one lunch period, we collect the ballots, and immediately get to work. The Class Officer Supervisor and I count each vote one by one and then switch to see if we got the same number,” Kelly said.
A double check method is used by Kelly and his assistant to ensure the most accurate measuring of the votes that were casted during the lunch period that day.
“If the votes seem out of place or odd, we even triple check them so nobody is cheated out of an election they could’ve won,” Kelly said.
The integrity and honesty of Carlmont’s ASB is a vital requirement for the school to thrive. If these standard aren’t met however, it may cause students to question how much they are able to trust the members of ASB.
“It’s always suspicious to put one person in charge, and that’s why I never act alone. People need to have trust in the process more so than the people behind it,” Kelly said.
ASB has gained their integrity through a number of ways — ranging from fundraisers, to carrying out long term promises.
Voting will take place on Tuesday, Feb. 25 in the quad at lunch, and each student’s vote will be taken and carefully counted toward a candidate running for their respective position.
