Around this time of year, seeing frantic yet determined students walking around campus with a packet and pen in their hands asking random students for their signature is very common. Often, students comply without hesitation, adding their name to a list of other students without asking many questions. They go on with their day.
But these signatures prove to be far more important to the lives of Elon University students than they seem to view them.
In order to be eligible to run for a position within SGA, whether as a Class Officer or an Executive Officer, students must receive a certain number of signatures from their constituents. To run for a position on the Executive Council, prospective candidates must receive 75 signatures from each class, including the senior class. Similarly, potential Class Officer candidates need 150 signatures from students within their respective class.
This system has been in place for years, and it does help to narrow down the number of students who run for these positions. But the problem is that it can intimidate students who may have incredible ideas for our student body and it makes the election less about the issues and more about simply knowing people.
If Elon did away with the signature requirement, then students who are less extroverted could feel more comfortable running for office. While this may cause there to be many candidates, it would force the candidates to focus on their platforms in order to standout.
Getting signatures from 300 different students is easier and far less scary for students who are very outgoing or know many people across campus. But for those students who are more introverted, this requirement could make running for executive office very difficult. It is possible for students to have great leadership potential without being very outgoing, yet this process does not reflect that.
The process of just asking for a student’s signature also distracts from the real issues at hand. Far too often, students sign their names without even asking the candidates about their platform. In many ways, the process of receiving signatures is not relevant or beneficial to the campaign itself.
Elon’s SGA President Avery Steadman recognizes this issue and hopes to encourage students to run. SGA has recently been doing more outreach in order to empower students to find their voices as well as the courage to run for office.
Students complain about various aspects of campus life daily, as if they forget that they can go to SGA to make these changes happen. Students should use this election period as a time to voice their concerns and vote for a candidate who will listen to them.
What too many students fail to understand is just how much power SGA has. So many of the changes you have seen around campus lately — such as 20-minute parking by Qdoba and the new bulletin board in Moseley — have all been made possible with the help of SGA.
At this point, the deadline for the elections application has passed, but Elon students still have the ability to get involved in the election. Each week, SGA’s Thursday night meetings are open forums that any student can come to and voice their concerns or ideas. SGA’s purpose is to serve the students, so it is imperative that we take these elections seriously.
Don’t just check the name that you most recognize, or that your friends told you to vote for — become an active participant. SGA plays an important role in our Elon experience, and students shouldn’t underestimate that.
Now that the candidates for Executive and Class Officers have been announced, take time to seek out these people and learn about their platforms. Engage in conversations, ask them questions and state your opinions. It is time we take these elections more seriously and truly let our voices be heard.