The student body election season kicks off today and members of student government have their fingers crossed, hoping for a drama-free race for student body president.
But the memory of last year’s campaign, which was defined by verbal spars and lawsuits, remains fresh in the minds of many students.
Sophomore Nikki Eskenasi said she was shocked by the parallels between the negativity of last year’s candidates and national politics.
“We all know this happens on a national scale, but it kind of makes you think if it’s happening at this level, politics is kind of hopeless,” she said.
“These people are supposed to be representing our student body. They should have more respect for each other.”
Controversy last year included calls for a candidate to resign, a disqualification hearing for another and a host of accusations in between. The election included the exchange of venomous text messages between two candidates, delayed results and the resignation of the speaker of Student Congress to pursue a lawsuit against the Board of Elections.
Sophomore Virginia Montes said she was so annoyed by last year’s candidates she chose to vote only in the general election and not in the runoff election.
“They need to focus more on what the student body wants and less on bringing up the flaws of other candidates,” she said.
Participation in student body president elections has decreased consistently during the past three years.
