Keble JCR trialled anonymous voting at its meeting on 28th March following a referendum held the previous week.
The motion in question concerned the Talbot Fund which would call for Keble Students to donate at the end of their time in college into a fund that is designed to help the extra-curricular activities of future students. It was agreed prior to the meeting that this motion would be voted on anonymously.
In a speech made at the meeting Andrew Paine, who proposed the motion the refereendum that led to the new voting system, said, “Anonymous voting is a very common thing in a democratic organisation, as voting shouldn’t be susceptible to peer pressure. There is a tendency for this to happen in the JCR meetings, such as in the Israel debate.”
The reaction in the JCR was mixed, with Oliver Robinson, the Welfare Officer Elect, stating, “The intention behind the system is good, but the practicalities outweigh its benefits.”
Emma Brand, an English student, said, “Cutting up bits of card for voting slips seems like a waste of time and paper.”
Aakash Khanijau, a student at Jesus College, where anonymous voting is not used, echoed James Davies when he said, “What’s the point? It’s just a JCR meeting; everything gets passed anyway.”
