“Doing your civic duty” is a phrase that Gustavus students hear often-especially around major elections. There has always been a push to get students to vote, spurred by shuttles, registration taco trucks, and much more. Elections are discussed. Politics abound.

But one election that is not pushed as much is Gustavus’ own Student Senate co-presidential election. Often, there are few candidates, short campaigns, and little knowledge the election in general. This certainly causes the Student Senate co-presidential election pales in comparison to the state and national elections. “Student participation in our Co-Presidential election process is critical to the accountability of Senate as a whole,” Evie Doran, Sophomore Student Senate ombudsperson, said.

This statement, in its essence, demonstrates the innate importance of student voting in the co-presidential election each and every year. The Gustavus Student Senate is the backchannel every other student org is run through, for the most part. They provide a budget for student organizations and  help implement policies that impact students each and every day. An example of one of these implementations is the initiative to provide tampons and pads in the highest-traffic bathrooms on campus. Having these available eases the worries those who get periods have about being unprepared or surprised getting their period in a busy space.

Further, the student body recently received an with the first Student Senate e-mail newsletter containing information about new propositions and the goal for transparency between Student Senate and the student body. And as a resident of Rundstrom Hall, this particular new initiative-the e-mail newsletter-is much appreciated because of the new handrail proposed Rundstrom Hall, something I would have not been aware of without this new form of communication. Voting for candidates who support platforms and changes you support and wish to see at Gustavus is important to facilitate positive change campus-wide.

“When establishing their campaign platforms, candidates set the tone for next year’s Senate. This tone is then carried into the way they choose a cabinet, as well as the day to day operations of the Senate for the next year. So in that way, being engaged during the electoral process is a crucial part of civic life at Gustavus, as it sets an expectation for the next academic year,” Doran said. One of my major frustrations with student complaints is when they come from people who did not vote in the yearly Student Senate co-presidential election. Each and every student at Gustavus has a voice and is able to flex their rights every March. A popular phrase that floats around during big elections is “no vote, no complaint.”This is implicitly true about elections such as the Gustavus co-presidential election.

Every student has an opportunity to vote. We are even given the option to vote in-person or online for a long period of time on election day. It is not an issue of inaccessibility, it is an issue of obliviousness. Mark the date of the election in your calendar. Do not delete the email with the link to vote until you have done so. Or take two minutes out of your Chapel break to stop by the table outside of the caf. And if you are abroad, student teaching, or away on election day-the online voting still works off of Gustavus wifi. Vote for co-presidents and representatives that support the changes you want to see at Gustavus. Although the importance of the election has gotten better during my three years here, there is still a long way to go. I can say confidently that representation is important for change for facilities, student life, and the Gustavus campus in general. But increased awareness of the importance of the Gustavus Student Senate and the co-presidential and general elections at the beginning of the academic year, is certainly an important step forward. Whether this is on the Senate’s part or the student body’s part, it is necessary to quell the unrest in relation to policy at Gustavus that is, unfortunately, an inherent part of our community.