Board of Elections chair Alex Piasecki to take office in May

UNC will soon have a new behind-the-scenes figure leading its student elections.

Alex Piasecki will become Board of Elections chairman if he is approved by Student Congress today.

Piasecki talked to current chairman Robert Windsor about the responsibilities that come with the position and said he felt fortunate.

“I am honored to be selected and excited to try to follow the success he has had,” he said in an email.

Piasecki is studying abroad through Kenan-Flagler Business School’s GLOBE program in Hong Kong this semester. Because he is abroad, he will probably take office when Windsor graduates instead of right after his appointment is confirmed.

Piasecki has experience working on the Board of Elections and on the student-run Honor Court.

“My work on Honor Court has adequately prepared me for this position as our work on (Board of Elections) parallels many of the skills and poise that is needed when going through Honor Court cases,” he said.

The Executive Branch selected Piasecki and then the Rules and Judiciary Committee approved the decision. Student Congress is set to approve the selection on Tuesday.

Kyle Villemain, student body vice president, said Piasecki’s interest and past experience in the board of elections made him seem like the right candidate.

“He went abroad in spring but despite that stayed active,” said Villemain.

Villemain said the Executive Branch chose Piasecki because he seemed competent to handle the position.

Windsor, the previous Board of Elections chairman, said he learned to be available to a lot of people who need answers during the election periods.

“The biggest thing to do is to make sure that you’re organized,” he said. “You need to know what you’re doing, and you need to prep.”

He said the Board of Elections handles two main election periods — one in the fall which handles the homecoming elections and the other is the general election in the spring.

“Being able to help and make things better was really rewarding,” Windsor said.

Piasecki said the position comes with responsibilities rather than powers. He said the only immediate power he holds is to extend the signature gathering period by 24 hours.

“All of the rules that the Board of Elections follows are set by Student Congress in the Student Code,” he said. “My ‘powers’ are not very many, as the timetables and the dates of the elections are all laid out in the code.”

Piasecki said that he understands the challenges and rewards of the election periods and is committed to helping them run smoothly.

“There is always so much buzz and excitement around elections and to be responsible ensuring that these elections are conducted in a free and fair manner.”

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