Update to 2006 Referendum Results

The elections committee has discovered that we made a mistake in calculating quorum for the referendum. The results of the referendum are unaffected. Details are below, but basically we misinterpreted the wording of the requirements to pass an amendment related to the GSG fee. 

(Note: a regular constitutional amendment uses a different rule)

The relevant section of the constitution says:

XI-6: Any proposed change in Article X or this Clause must be presented in a referendum to all members of the Graduate Student Body. For the change to be adopted, three-fifths of those voting must approve the amendment, and that three-fifths must be greater than or equal to one-third of those eligible to vote.

The correct way to interpret is as follows:
x = all members of GSB eligible to vote (2076)
y = total number of voters (1236)
y' = total number voting (doesn't include abstains) (1172)
z = # voting to approve amendment #1 (764)

"For the change to be adopted, three-fifths of those voting must approve the amendment":
meaning: z >= 3/5 * y'

z >= 3/5 * 1172 = 703.2
764 > 703.2    -- Passes first requirement

"and that three-fifths must be greater than or equal to one-third of those eligible to vote"
meaning: (3/5 * y') >= 1/3 x

y' >= 1/3 * 5/3 x
y' >= 5/9 x
y' >= 5/9 (2076) = 1153.33
1172 > 1153.33  -- Passes second requirement

This is the correct logical reading of the text of the constitution, and effectively sets a quorum requirement of 1153.33 for those voting (which does NOT include those abstaining). So this is still unusual (regular quorum for the elections counts abstains), but is different from the way we had read it.

We misinterpreted as follows:
We read the second requirement to mean z >= 1/3 x. So we thought at least 692 had to APPROVE, but the rule actually means that 1154 had to vote (but not abstain).

For amendment #2, we still did not pass either requirement. For amendment #2, z = 608 and y' = 1128.
So requirement 1: z >= 3/5 y' = 676.80
608 < 676.80 -- Fails first requirement

requirement 2: y' => 5/9 x = 1153.33
1128 < 1153.33 -- Fails second requirement 



Note about abstentions: According to Robert's Rules, "those voting" and "number of voters" never include abstains. Casting a ballot to abstain on a particular item is equivalent to not casting a ballot at all, and is not counted. The exception is when something must pass by a fraction of those present or of all those eligible to vote, in which case every potential voter is counted in the denominator of the percentage voting in favor, regardless of whether they vote, abstain, or don't cast a ballot.