OUSA has launched what Administrative Vice-President Jarred Griffiths describes as “the largest student voter enrolment drive we’ve ever done”. Over the past two weeks, Exec members have been visiting halls and encouraging enrolments with the promise of pizza for the floors who register the most people.
A total of 600 first years have been enrolled already, and Campaigns Manager Sean Gamble says most halls have been “really helpful and enthusiastic” about the initiative, although volunteers did run into a brief issue when they were turned away from Knox College.
70 students were registered last Wednesday when OUSA ran a promotion to pay for students' $3 Lunch at the Clubs and Socs building. While offering incentives in exchange for voting is illegal, OUSA is within its rights to offer financial gifts in exchange for enrolments. The Exec has also sent a letter containing enrolment forms to every student flat in the North Dunedin area. This issue of Critic also contains an enrolment form.
OUSA did find themselves at a crossroads with the Electoral Commission, who expressed scepticism over the campaign. While the Commission normally provides enrolment forms for free, they were hesitant to provide OUSA with the 5000 forms required to reach their overall goal. Because of this, the Exec was forced to pay out of the union budget to print the forms.
However, Administrative Vice-President Jarred Griffiths says he has been in contact with the National manager for Enrolment, who has apologised and rectified the situation. The Electoral Commission has “re-established a close working relationship” with OUSA and will be providing forms free of charge from now on.