Editorial : Contested SA elections offer intrigue, student empowerment

Student Association elections, by and large, have seen little real competitiveness in the past several years. Last year, SA President Neal Casey ran unopposed, and the year before, Jon Barnhart was the only candidate who was part of student government before running. Before him, Larry Seivert ran unopposed.

The race for SA president is already contested between two very viable candidates: Dylan Lustig, vice chair of the Student Engagement Committee and a sophomore international relations and economics major, and Taylor Carr, chair of the Student Life Committee and a junior public relations major. Oct. 24 is the last day candidates can join the race, so there may be more announcements in the coming weeks.

Having contested races is incredibly important for SA and for the student body, as it fosters student intrigue and healthy competitiveness. The result: more students paying attention to SA, student empowerment and pressure on the candidates to set agendas that address real issues on campus.

Last year, The Daily Orange Editorial Board criticized Neal Casey’s presidential campaign for being quiet and failing to use the election season as a means for rallying student attention and support. By its very nature, a contested election will force these candidates to draw attention to themselves and in the process promote SA as an organization. Candidates should make good use of their resources, especially social media, which will draw considerable student attention.

Most importantly, elections empower students by giving them different sets of issues to support. Uncontested elections enable the candidate to offer vague promises and broad, obvious initiatives without putting any effort into understanding the specific wants of his or her constituency.

Having more than one candidate running for SA president can do the most good for the student community by offering specific stances on relevant issues — medical amnesty, overcrowding, the acceptance rate, the university’s involvement in the city, student access to supermarkets and the list continues. Candidates must go beyond how their presidency will help SA as an organization and start thinking about what they will push for as the mouthpiece of the student body.