ASWWU Ballot Measures
The ballot measures listed here have been approved to appear on the appropriate ASWWU Election Ballot.
Spring 2026 ASWWU General Election
The following ballot measures have been approved to appear on the Spring 2026 ASWWU General Election Ballot.
To pass, each measure must have a simple majority of "Yes" votes (50%+1) and a total combined ("Yes" and "No") vote count of at least 2/3 of total votes cast in the election.
ASWWU-SP26-REF1
Official Ballot Question:
Shall ASWWU Government amend its Constitution to implement the presented changes?
Since signing an updated ASWWU Government Charter in 2024, the AS Executive Board and Senate have been working to refine/update their governing documents to align best with their mission to represent students in shared governance of Western.
The proposed updates to the ASWWU Government Constitution represent minor administrative changes needed to clarify language due to University administrative and organizational updates.
It further includes a recommendation drafted by ASWWU Senate to adjust membership to better represent all Western students in areas of concern connected to Academic Affairs:
If passed, revised membership of the ASWWU Senate will be implemented for Fall 2027 (Spring 2027 ASWWU General Elections), all other updates will be effective immediately:
Recommended ASWWU Senate Membership:
The Senate will consist of the following voting officers (17):
- Senate President, Chair of the Senate
- Senate Vice Chair
- Three Senators to represent students At-Large
- Two Senators from each of the following colleges:
- College of Business and Economics
- College of Humanities and Social Sciences
- College of Science and Engineering
- Graduate School
- One Senator from each of the following colleges:
- College of the Environment
- Woodring College of Education
- Fairhaven College of Interdisciplinary Studies
- College of Fine and Performing Arts
Read the full recommended revisions here: Proposed Spring 2026 ASWWU Government Constitution Revision
ASWWU-SP26-REF2
Official Ballot Question:
Shall the Legislative Action Fee (LAF) be increased from $1.00 to $1.25 per academic quarter for every Western Student taking 2 or more credits starting in the Fall quarter of 2027 through Summer Quarter of 2030?
Should a vote of “yes” not pass with the required voting thresholds as outlined in the current ASWWU Election Code, the fee will be retained at $1.00 per student per quarter.
The LAF will expire after Summer 2030 without an additional vote of ASWWU membership to renew the fee.
Read the full referendum proposal and Fiscal Note here:
Full 2026 LAF Renewal Proposal
2026 LAF Renewal Fiscal Note
ASWWU-SP26-REF3
Official Ballot Question:
Shall Western Washington University renew the current Student Technology Fee (STF) of $35 per academic quarter (neither increasing nor decreasing) for each student taking 6 or more credits; and, $17.50 per academic quarter for each student taking 1-5 credits?
If this referendum does not pass with the required voting thresholds as outlined in the current ASWWU Elections Code, the Student Technology Fee will expire at the end of Summer 2027.
If passed, the updated fee will expire after Summer 2030 without an additional vote of ASWWU membership to renew the fee.
Read the full STF Renewal Packet(includes Fiscal Note) Here
ASWWU-SP26-REF4
Official Ballot Question:
Shall the Food Security Fee be increased from $4.50 to $6.50 per academic quarter for every full-time Western Student enrolled on WWU’s Bellingham campus beginning Fall 2027 to create a secondary pantry location on south campus and extend the full-time pantry position?
If this referendum does not pass with the required voting thresholds as outlined in the current ASWWU Elections Code, the Food Security Fee will expire at the end of Summer 2027.
If passed, the updated fee will expire after summer 2030 without an additional vote of ASWWU membership to renew the fee.
Read the full:
ASWWU-SP26-REF5
Official Ballot Question:
Shall Western Washington University, beginning Fall Quarter 2027, charge all students enrolled in six or more credits at the Bellingham campus an Athletics fee initially set at $80.36 each Fall, Winter and Spring Quarter, and by vote of the Athletic Fee Oversight Committee may be increased by up to 4% per year without a vote of general ASWWU membership?
If this referendum is approved, and the S&A Fee Committee so recommends, the Western Washington Board of Trustees will be asked to approve reducing the S&A fee by $53.57 per quarter/per student, beginning Fall Quarter 2027, and removing the Department of Athletics from the S&A fee allocation process, in hopes of providing increased funding to all current S&A fee recipients. The net impact to full-time student fee payers is an increase of $26.79 per quarter. If the Western Washington Board of Trustees does not approve such, this referendum and associated fee will be void.
Administrative Note: If this proposal passes and the fee is implemented, it will expire after Summer Term 2030 without a vote of ASWWU Membership to renew the fee per current ASWWU Government policy.
Read the full Athletics Fee Proposal Packet (including Fiscal Note) Here
Ballot Measure Opposition Campaigns:
ASWWU Elections Code allows one official opposition campaign to be filed for each ballot measure. Individuals filing an opposition campaign must be a current Western student and eligible ASWWU Voter. The individual who files an opposition campaign form is responsible for campaign compliance with ASWWU Elections Code including attendance of a Mandatory Candidate Meeting.
Opposition campaigns must be filed using the Opposition Campaign Filing Form
The form officially closes on April 24th.
The first campaign to fully and correctly file is the only official opposition campaign allowed by ASWWU Election Code.
