Maybe I shouldn't have started this blog now, not with everything that's been going on.

Back to my discussion of the Electromagnetic Theory lecture, second meeting, eighth week of classes. We just answered the two questions I gave them the week before as an exercise that became an assignment, which one of the groups (the one that included my cousin) forgot to solve so their group had to answer it right then and there.

It was only after the session though that my cousin’s group passed their assignment.

The next day after that was the Student Council election. The classroom reserved for the exercise already had one of the desks to prop open the door at 8am, so we did not remove that while the poll center was open.

Desks were placed along the entire length of the room to divide the voting area from where the potential poll watchers would be observing. Near the chalkboard we left a space for walking from one to the other, bordered by the desks of the Commission on Election members to restrict entry and exit.

Only those who have not voted could enter, and those who wish to exit have to return their ballots first.

On the board was written the names of the candidates, what to do when deciding not to vote anyone to a position (place an X on the blank) and that their choice for president has the additional task of appointing the commissioners to which there were no candidates (there were two: Student Welfare and Social Action).

The Commission on Election members were provided with two lists: one for checking that the student is officially enrolled for this term and has not yet voted (there is still no provision for students on approved leave of absence for the term) and another one with blank names for making sure that the ballot numbers stayed unique and sequential.

I also informed them about reporting any irregularities to the Discipline officer, such as people crossing the cordoned area without passing through the officials.

Some incidents of note: right outside the polling room door in the midmorning I was able to see a crumpled campaign poster of George and his fellow “party” members. Unlike most of the ones that were still put up, this was one of those that was actually approved and stamped by the Office of Student Activities.

Also, it was interesting to note that Joseph and his friends did not vote together, nor did he accompany them to the polling center when they did vote after him.

We closed the polls (and the door – the first time all day) at 3pm, with 80% of the college student population having exercised their rights.

All the winners, including those who were running unopposed, were given a clear mandate, receiving at least two thirds of all the votes, which was still 56% of the entire student population.

This segues into the Band Fest later that night, so I’ll have to cut this short again here and continue next time. For now, class dismissed.