With this year’s Student Government Association executive board
elections having a larger-than-normal field of candidates, it is
easy to get confused when trying to keep the issues straight. One
thing is certain though; this year’s election should increase
interest in SGA as never before.

The one question that many people seem to have on their minds
regarding the elections is: Why are there five tickets? SGA
moderator Phil Lyons could not offer any reasons other than, “This
year we have five people each with four under them (three in one
case) who all think they can win.”

The last time that SLU experienced a field this large was the
1993-94 election. This was the last time the field was large
because it was the last year that members of the executive board
had all the power. After that election, then President John Baker
turned the representatives, whose only real duty was to inform
students of what happened in SGA meetings, into senators, who have
the power to introduce legislation. This generated more interest in
running for senate seats. More interest in who senators were,
coupled with the use of Internet voting, began to increase the
turnout for elections each year.

While many people may see the large field as a jumbled mess,
Lyons believes that the positives outweigh the negatives for this
election. He believes that so many candidates with different
perspectives and different strengths will provide a wide range of
options for people who are not sure how to vote. However, he says
we have to be ready for many more disagreements and a higher amount
of election grievances to be filed. Lyons is not worried though, he
believes SLU is lucky to have Vince Giacabazi running this year’s
election.

With more candidates running this election than any time in
recent memory, this election should generate a great amount of
interest in SGA affairs, which can only be a good thing. Lyons
predicts that Monday’s elections will see the biggest voter turnout
in SLU history and the results will also be some of the closest
that SLU has ever seen.

With five different tickets on the ballot, there is sure to be a
massive amount of hysteria on the Quad on election day. Lyons’
advice: “Vote early in the morning and then wear a shirt that says
‘I voted,’ to avoid being asked all day.”