Voting for MUSG candidates sure ain’t like voting for Obama or McCain.
In the 2008 presidential election, between 22 and 24 million young people turned up to vote, according to CIRCLE, an organization researching young people’s political engagement.
During last spring’s MUSG election, 2,557 votes were cast.
That’s not saying much, considering Marquette’s total enrollment of 11,689 — only 35 percent of eligible students voted.
And our voter turnout is a far cry from the millions of students who cropped up for the national campaign.
Granted, campus elections are no high-profile, high-agenda affair, but legislation passed or pushed by MUSG can be just as important for students.
For one, consider the buzz about the quality of campus food provider Sodexo, which is on both candidates’ platforms.
Both parties expect to move the discussion on Sodexo forward — Emil Ovbiagele and Raviinder Gill, both sophomores in the College of Arts & Sciences, said if nothing is decided by the middle of fall semester, they will consider taking “drastic” measures, according to the March 9 Marquette Tribune article, “Know the Issues.”
At the Fr. Wild Forum on Tuesday night, students asked about Sodexo at least five times, prompting an administrator to suggest forming an all-Sodexo forum where students can voice their concerns to Sodexo administrators.
Clearly, cafeteria food is a big issue, and voting can help influence the direction the university chooses.
Both candidates are also pushing an amnesty for dangerously drunk students, so students can receive medical help without the threat of punishment.
Plans for the recreational center are also in full swing, with MUSG funding $42,500 for a recreational facilities program statement.
Presidential candidate Meghan Ladwig, junior in the College of Arts & Sciences, and running mate Joseph Ciccone, a sophomore in the College of Arts & Sciences, are pushing to fix advising practices and form a diversity coalition.
Ovbiagele and Gill’s platform includes garnering more awareness about sexually transmitted diseases and forming an off-campus housing rating Web site.
Students’ health and wellness are indirectly affected by MUSG decisions. Take the chance to vote for the person who will move the school in the right direction.
Students should be pressured to vote, but MUSG should do more to encourage voter turnout. With such big issues looming in our future, Marquette students owe it to themselves to choose their candidate.
There are no primary elections this year, but voters can submit write-in nominees.
The final election begins online at http://musg.mu.edu/vote from 12:01 a.m. to 10 p.m. tomorrow.
