Preparing Your Vote: A Look at the Upcoming SU Elections
By Editor in Chief Claire Watson
It’s that time of year when bed sheets are spray-painted and dyed and draped from every window along college-road. Hopefully, this year won’t see a battle of eggs splattered across the students’ windows. Ah, election season.
Election season is the one time of year that a girl can be totally proactive, and no other girls can say anything about it. Of course, in this instance, ‘girl’ is completely gender neutral. The candidacy and voting periods are over in a blink, but these few days will influence a whole academic year. It’s easy to fall into the trap of, ‘Oh, well I’m graduating. What do I care?’ Think instead of the hundreds of first years that won’t get a chance to vote in their next union.
Photo from @uccsu on Instagram
The issue with voting in student elections is that students will forever toe the line between responsible adults and fresh babies still bursting out of the womb. That’s not our fault, it’s kind of the vibe that’s been imposed on us. It’s a great period of self-discovery and playing around to find out who you are. It’s like a sandbox, only the shovels are lectures, and the buckets are mysterious thumb-sized bottles reeking of vapour-rub. We can build things up as easily as we can tear them down. Unions, however, are not made of sand.
Or they’re like kinetic sand, that stays together for just a year softly dissipating again.
This year I’m in a position where it is essential that I am unbiased. While being on a campaign team is incredibly fun, and I would recommend, it is nice to sit back, relax and look at the whole picture. Baneen also chats about this, but its so crucial to read through each candidate’s manifesto and see what they want. Separate the ideals from the panderings, and really examine the steps they want to take to ensure their goals are met. What’s one thing greater than a promise? A plan.
Hustings take place this Tuesday and Wednesday. This is your primary platform to question your candidates and put them under pressure to highlight the steps they will take to ensure their goals are met.
Each union brings something entirely different to campus every year. Even though it’s a yearly event, you really have one chance to vote in the union you want. And if you’re not happy with the candidates, there’s always an opportunity to re-open nominations. Don’t give-up your vote because you’re dissatisfied with the turnout.
These incredible and intelligent people are gunning to represent you and your needs as a student. So, scrutinise them! Ask them questions until there’s no words left in the English language to say. Play the role of an investigate journalist. Hound them, and do not let any candidate, friend, or foe pressure you into voting one way or another. Keep your phone in your pocket, and your hands and vote to yourself.
