After Inspire Party senators tried to pass a bill to expand the absentee ballot process for Student Government Spring elections without consulting the UF supervisor of elections, the initiative failed.
Two Inspire senators submitted legislation to extend the deadline for students to request an absentee ballot from up to two weeks before the final day of elections to one week before.
Although the bill passed through the SG Judiciary Committee on Sunday, the bill was tabled until Spring at Tuesday’s Senate meeting.
SG Supervisor of Elections Erica Baker told senators she was concerned the bill’s timeline wouldn’t allow students to turn in the ballots on time.
Majority party leader Sen. Trevor Schaettle (Impact, District B) motioned to postpone the bill until Spring after hearing Baker’s concerns and seeing Senate President Ian Green’s initiative to create a committee for code revisions. His motion passed unanimously.
Baker asked senators to contact her prior to passing bills that would impact elections in the future.
“I would like to be consulted on these things,” Baker said. “I literally found about this yesterday, which is why I’m here kind of rushed.”
Sen. Benjamin Lima (Inspire, District D), one of the bill’s authors, said they didn’t reach out to Baker because they reached out to her a few weeks ago for another bill, and that she told them her office would comply with the codes.
“I’m doubtful she would be open to help us, but it would be nice,” he said.
