The ASUW primary elections have drawn to a close and now campus enters into the general elections, which will decide who will represent the students in important policy decisions. These vary from taking on another project like the vetoed ACRES farm, how to handle censored art like the Carbon Sink and how to delegate money for RSOs even when giving money to RSOs may require raising student fees.
It may feel like the only time ASUW is visible is when posters cover the Union breezeway, but ASUW has more lasting power than just giving out free cake in Prexy’s.
The aim of any university should be first and foremost to educate students. Engineers and science students have labs that give them hands on experience where they can discover for themselves what works in a real world setting and what does not, and students who wish to be future elected officials also need the chance to campaign and try to win the votes of the people they are trying to represent.
Yes, politics can be frustrating for the voters when it seems politicians are full of fake smiles, empty promises and sometimes not looking out for the best interests of the people they were elected to represent, but there are many people who run because they feel that they can help improve the quality of life for the people they represent.
The ASUW senators are not backed by super PACs, and in the elections code on the ASUW website it limits the amount of money they can use to campaign, meaning that the seats will not go to the candidate giving out fancy T-shirts or the one who is backed by a powerful Fortune 500 company.
Candidates are more likely to be elected based on their stances on important issues. What ever you do, vote for those who vote for you.
The ASUW senators are elected to represent the students from their colleges and they debate important decisions such as raising student fees. It may be easy to dismiss ASUW as an elect few students sitting in the senate chambers on Tuesday nights, but they were democratically elected, during a time when many people in the world have no say in who will make decisions that impact their lives.
Before dismissing the elections remember your voice counts, and that a vote for someone is a vote against their opponent.
For a say in how your student fees are handled, or if your club gets money remember to vote in the ASUW elections, because whether you vote or not, those decisions will be made and they very well could have a lasting impact on you.
