What is this website?
An archive of ASUCD Election results and ballot data from Fall 2003 to present. Over the years it has expanded to include additional information and analysis.
Is this website affiliated with ASUCD?
No. This is not an official ASUCD or Creative Media website. All of the raw ballot data found on this website is obtained from Creative Media by virtue of the ASUCD Bylaws which require them to make public all of the election ballot data. Additionally, some of the election reports are from Creative Media’s website. However, any analysis or opinions expressed are my own and in no way affiliated with ASUCD or Creative Media.
Why did you make this website?
As a proponent of Choice Voting, a former ASUCD Senate candidate and a former ASUCD Elections Committee Chair I happen to think the ballot data for ASUCD Elections is both useful and interesting. Additionally, student governments have a very short memory and tend to forget their past rather quickly since most people are only on campus for 5 years or less. I figured this was a small way for me to help new students know the history of ASUCD Elections and give election junkies something interesting to study.
Why doesn’t ASUCD just host this information?
I do not know. ASUCD is only required to keep ballot data for one year in case of a possible Countback Election but there is no good reason they cannot host all of the ballot data that I have on this website on an official ASUCD website. It would be a simple task for Creative Media (or anyone else with access to the ASUCD Elections website) to have an archive section on that site with links to all past ballot data and election reports but it has yet to happen.
Who are you?
My name is Jonathon Leathers and I served as the ASUCD Elections Committee Chair for two consecutive years during my 3rd and 4th years at UC Davis. My 2nd year I was an ASUCD Senate candidate for both elections that year. My freshmen year I pressured ASUCD into following the bylaws that required them to release the raw ballot data for elections in an electronic format. I was also the President of the Davis College Green Party for my four years at UCD. The Davis College Green Party was instrumental in getting Choice Voting adopted in ASUCD elections in the school year prior to my arrival at UCD and we helped to defend its continued use following its implementation. I was co-authored the Countback Amendment to use ballot data to fill Senate vacancies.
Where did you get all of this ballot data?
Creative Media is required to release the ballot data after each election so all of the ballot data comes from them. I have acquired most of it simply by downloading it from the ASUCD Elections website after the elections. Alex Park, the director of Creative Media, and Brent Laabs both helped me acquire some of the older ballot data that I was missing.
Why do only some of the elections have Stove Top reports?
Stove Top is a Mac-only program and I have not yet gone back and generated all of the reports. What Stove Top reports I have were obtained from Creative Media or other individuals. As a result, some elections do not have Stove Top reports and some Stove Top reports have candidates with their slate membership marked incorrectly.
Why does the ballot data save improperly?
Sometimes if you save the Ballot Data from your browser it can mess up the formatting. Make sure to test one to verify that it works in one of the programs listed on the Software page. Or you can save yourself the trouble entirely and download the complete package of all the ballot data files I currently have in my possession (26 in total): Ballot Data Package.
Where is all of the pre-Choice Voting ASUCD Election data?
Sergio Cano, the former IAC Chair, finished archiving all of the ASUCD Election data from 1981-1982 and 1990-present during the summer of 2012. The data is available at Shields Library in the special collections under “ASUCD”.
Determining Thresholds
The threshold is determined using the following equation:
( Valid votes / Number of open seats + 1 ) + 1 = Threshold