General election deserves good turnout

2/3/11 6:00pm

There are few times when we as students have a chance to really voice our opinions, and voting in the Student Association elections is one of the easiest opportunities to contribute (see insert, page 9).While the Thresher commended the student body two years ago when it set an record turnout in the general election with 1,610 votes, the number of voting students has declined dramatically since the SA switched to an online voting system in 1996, with a mere 972 students voting in last year's election. Whether this is the fault of the elections committee, heightened student apathy or technological barriers is not for us to say; rather, we encourage students to match - nay, demolish - the record set in the 2009 elections.

With two highly qualified individuals running for president this year, it will certainly be tough to pick which candidate to vote for. And don't forget, it isn't just candidates you will be voting for in the elections: The Honor Council has several referenda to their constitution up for vote which require a three-quarter majority for approval per the SA by-laws. Most of these changes are proactive measures by the Honor Council to address clarifications and updates in the language. Additionally, the Honor Council is asking for approval to involve more student representatives to address increases in the council's workload. The Thresher fully recognizes and the need for the proposed changes in wording and addition of representatives and supports all four of the Honor Council referenda. In the past, the Honor Council has come close to passing other refenda, but has typically come up short. Even most blanket taxes in recent years, which require only 66 percent of student votes to pass, fall below the three-quarter mark.

And so we implore you, the student, to go out and vote next week, and encourage your friends to cast their ballots as well. Take the few minutes from your day to read up on candidates and make your voice heard.

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