The Undergraduate Senate (UGS) passed a bill calling for the reinstatement of an on-campus voting booth at its Wednesday meeting.

The bill asks the University to work with the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters. It outlines that the absence of an on-campus voting booth negatively impacts civic engagement among Stanford students, many of whom are first-time voters or navigating complex processes as non-residents of California. These barriers particularly affect first-generation, low-income and disabled students, per the bill. 

Political action co-chair Laila Walid Ali ’28, who authored the bill, said that she hopes it will encourage the University to provide at least one voting booth for every upcoming election in California. The booths “symbolize our support of civic engagement and making sure students have the access to vote on campus… that’s something that we want to endorse as the student government,” Ali said. 

With the help of Stanford Votes and Associate Director of Student Organizations Pete Cerneka, the UGS has already pledged to provide two voting booths on campus for the upcoming election — a measure that the bill will secure for future years. The bill now moves to the Graduate Student Council (GSC) for their vote.

The UGS also passed the Joint Bill to Submit a Constitutional Amendment Updating Procedures of the Constitutional Council. This bill puts forth an amendment to the Associated Students of Stanford University (ASSU) Constitution updating the Constitutional Council procedures, which will be put to a vote during the 2026 spring general election.

The Constitutional Council serves as the judicial branch of the ASSU, determining whether or not actions taken by ASSU members are appropriate under the ASSU Constitution. The updates, which include clarifying the council’s jurisdiction and removing contradictory provisions, were identified by the Constitutional Council as ways to improve the efficiency and accessibility of the council. The bill will next move to the GSC for its vote. 

The UGS also introduced the Joint Bill to Recommend a Nominee to Fill a Vacancy on the Board on Conduct Affairs, Spring 2026.

This bill will recommend undergraduate senator Yohanna Hoskins ’27 to the Board on Conduct Affairs (BCA), determined through an interview process winter quarter. The BCA oversees the interpretation and implementation of student conduct policies, including with the Office of Community Standards (OCS).

The UGS also introduced the Joint Bill to Reform the Nominations Commission and Adopt the Nominations Commission Guidelines. This bill seeks to reform the bylaws of the Nominations Commission to better fit with the Commission’s needs and practical operations, as it works to appoint students to serve on university committees.

“Typically what has been practiced is that the joint bylaws are really technical and detailed about how the Nominations Commission should operate… and we found that was inappropriate for the bylaws; the bylaws should set the minimum foundation,” said UGS Chair David Sengthay ’26.

The bill adds that the new bylaws, written by ASSU president Ava Brown ’26 in partnership with the Commission, simplify the existing guidelines and allow for greater flexibility.