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Editorial:
One week is not long enough to learn about ASG presidential candidates
With spring in full swing and midterms quickly approaching, it’s Associated Student Government election season again.
This year, the elections are the equivalent of driving through Boring at midnight in the middle of a storm: Blink and you’re going to miss them.
Candidates were announced last week, with three teams running for the top leadership posts: Larry Collins (also known as Larry Morgan) with running mate Jon Francis, Dee Hawes Sr. with running mate Richard Ison and Nikki Jauron with running mate Heather Tarabella (also known as Heather Nichelle-Peres.)
Campaigning kicks off Monday and the candidates get a whopping week until polls open May 3.
With a mere five school days, it’s going to be a pretty busy week not just for candidates but for voters as well.
Then polls close on May 6, giving voters three days to vote for whom they want in charge of their student government next year.
When it comes to voting, it’s crucial to understand the positions the candidates are taking and what they believe in.
Aside from stances, five days is an extremely short amount of time to uncover the integrity and character of the six individuals vying for president and vice president. It’s important to not just know what the candidates want to change, but who they are as a person before being they’re put into office.
How can it be assured that these teams can make their case in the span of five days?
Debates are held in the Main Mall (if the weather agrees) on Wednesday and Thursday, four days before the polls open. The vice presidential candidates will debate Wednesday from 4 to 5 p.m. while the presidential candidates will debate Thursday from 12 to 1 p.m.
At least the candidates will get one hour of guaranteed campaigning time.
The debates become even more important this year for someone to attempt to make a genuine, educated selection when voting, unless the candidates kick it into overdrive with their campaigning.
This year it is not just up to the candidates; the voters must make sure this election is as successful as possible. Get to know the candidates, take two hours to attend the debates, think about the decision. Just because voters are given a ridiculously short amount of time to make a choice, it’s not an excuse to make an uneducated one, or worse not choose at all.
Here’s hoping next week is a week well spent.
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