ASUA primary ballot alphabetically discriminated

Editor:

I voted in the ASUA primary elections and noticed one of the most common forms of discrimination there can beÄ alphabetical order. Why is it that one person should get special privileges just because their names begins with a 'A' or 'B'?

I know this may seem petty to some of you, but look at the individuals running in the upcoming elections. Many of the individuals are unknown to the voter. Without a party crutch to lean on, how will people vote? Well, in a race like the one for ASUA Senate with 12 candidates for eight seats, people who don't know the candidates will mark the first eight (it's easy to keep track that way).

This clearly isn't fair to those who are in the back half of the alphabet, like myself. No, I'm not running for office, but I am tired of being discriminated against because my last name starts with a 'W'. This prejudice is everywhere. When professors hand back tests, papers, etc.Ä how do they usually hand them back? That's right alphabetical order. I have to sit in the classroom five minutes after those with 'A' or 'B' names have left.

However, I have strayed from my point. Those individuals in the upcoming general elections, if they are smart, will ask for a random assignment of names on the ballot. If not, they are only setting themselves up to have a re-election when it is determined by the ASUA Supreme Court that the placing of the names is discriminatory.

Steven Weeks

Political Science Senior

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