At least 10 percent of the student body must vote in the Associated Students of Colorado State University elections in order for the amendments in the ASCSU constitution to pass, according to the Elections Manager Andrei Gurau. Of that 10 percent, a majority vote is necessary to approve the amendments.

“With less than 10 percent voter turnout, amendments would disappear,” Gurau said.

Gurau said if not enough students voted, the amendments made this year, including the changes made to the impeachment process, would not go into the constitution and the constitution would revert back to what it was at the beginning of this school year.

According to Gurau, a loophole in this process is that there could be a vote in the first senate meeting after elections the week of May 8, where senators could vote to bring all these amendments back. Those amendments would then stick around until the next election the next year.

Students can choose to abstain by clicking the “other” space and typing in “abstain,” according to Gurau.

“If people vote ‘no,’ we know something is wrong,” Gurau said.

Marissa Paliwota, sophomore human development and family studies and sociology student, said she plans to vote and has learned about the candidates and issues from the Collegian and from other advertisements around campus.

“I think it’s important to get informed before voting, but also everyone does need to vote,” Paliwota said. “Our vote counts.”

Gurau said voter turnout last year was 16 percent, but they have seen anywhere from 8 to 24 percent of students vote. Incentives such as Greek Week, where fraternities and sororities encourage their members to vote to earn points, help increase the voter turnout.

Gurau said students can stop by polling places and either show the confirmation email from voting or vote on the spot to receive free water bottles, beanies, tumblers and shirts.

The president/vice president and senate races do not require 10 percent of students to vote. The winner will be whoever receives the majority of votes, according to Gurau.

Senior civil engineering student Travis Bell said he does not plan on voting because he has not seen a huge impact from ASCSU on campus.

“I’ve never seen too direct of an effect between what they do and what goes on day-to-day,” Bell said. “Granted, they probably have (an effect) and I just don’t see it.”

Bell said many campaign promises, such as making changes to U+2, seems out of reach for ASCSU.

“Mostly things that I don’t honestly feel like they probably have jurisdiction, if you will, to actually make any (change),” Bell said.

Gurau said it is important for students to vote on these amendments and on their student representatives.

“It lets them see what ASCSU is involved in,” Gurau said. “ASCSU is everywhere on campus.”

Students can vote on RamWeb beginning April 6 at 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. April 8. The results will be announced in Senate at 7 p.m. April 8. Students can also vote in the Lory Student Center or in the Morgan Library.

Collegian City Beat Reporter Sady Swanson can be reached at news@collegian.com or on Twitter at @sadyswan.