This year, the Student Association plans to hold its elections for Executive Board two weeks earlier than in the past, scheduling the 2015 election day for March 6. They’re also requiring potential candidates to submit letters of intent earlier as well, by Feb. 20. This is a good move. Electing candidates earlier grants them more time to learn from their predecessors in office, and begin working together as a team earlier.
There is another small but meaningful change. Students have a curtailed window in which they might vote — rather than polls being open for 24 hours, they will be open for 12 hours this year, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. We understand the rationale behind the adjustment, but the range is unrealistic for college students — few are up as early as 7 a.m., and students may be otherwise engaged in coursework, etc. until 7 p.m. Poll hours should be extended until 10 p.m., which should still discourage drunken voting scandals and the undue influence of Larry Shea’s undue influence, while providing ample time for students to cast their votes.
Running for the SA E-Board isn’t a task for the average student. The campaign alone demands perseverance and a thick skin, and that’s before one even takes office and incurs the thankless job of caring for the needs of the student population. Each position requires board members to work long hours, pay close attention to detail and effectively manage others in and outside of the SA. Though the whole student body is affected, only a small portion will notice your work, and an even smaller portion will have anything positive to say. With SA elections approaching, it’s important that all SA candidates know the responsibilities ahead and that students look for key qualities when casting their votes.
A serious SA E-Board must be experienced. Many candidates already work within the SA and are familiar with the duties, so they would know what it takes to transition to a higher position of power and responsibility. That being said, not every viable candidate needs such an extensive previous affiliation with the inner chambers of the SA. Sometimes, an outside perspective is beneficial to the overall organization, but some sort of leadership experience among student groups is necessary. It is important for potential E-Board members to have experience working as a team, making decisions and navigating the budget process. Candidates without SA experience must be able to demonstrate that their qualifications have prepared them to serve students — it wouldn’t be good if a person finds out he or she cannot deal with the pressure of responsibility only after being elected into such an important leadership role.
We want our SA E-Board candidates to be realistic with their platforms. It’s great to be ambitious, but don’t run for vice president for finance saying that you’re going to double the size of the OCCT fleet or bring Kanye for Spring Fling. No one’s going to believe you. If you want to make it easy for clubs to access their money, you need to demonstrate a real plan to do so. We’ve heard it all before. Attractive candidates know what they can plan to achieve, and what they can only hope to achieve. And sometimes, practicality is what we need.
As election season approaches and the slow wheels of campus democracy begin to turn once again, it’s up to every one of us to stay informed and involved.