Last year’s student body president and vice president candidates, Temo Molina and Ethan Cianco, were uncontested. While students still voted, the positions were almost guaranteed to be theirs as there was no one else running.

This lack of candidates concerned The Antelope, as democratic involvement on campus seemed to be dwindling.

We are encouraged by the contrast between last year’s and this year’s elections. Three teams of student body presidential and vice presidential candidates are running. Lopers have stepped up to the plate.

Having multiple choices on the election ballot shows that students care about UNK. It’s not UNK without the students, so having a student voice and opinion through the Student Senate is necessary. We want to show that students care about campus enough to campaign for a position of leadership. By campaigning, candidates show their pride for UNK and their want to advocate for students. 

It’s vital that the election process is competitive. Getting elected shouldn’t be easy. The increase in candidates promotes healthy competition. Candidates have to push their initiatives and fight for a student’s vote. We get to choose who we think is best suited for the job rather than be limited to one choice. More candidates means more options, backgrounds and expertises.

This also ups the value of the campaign experience for candidates. Running students have to promote themselves more and rely on their campaign process to get votes. If they want the job, they have to fight for it. This says a lot more about their commitment and will add to their resume.

We would still like to see more interest and involvement from students not in student government. Student Senate meetings are a good way for students to know what their leaders are doing and voice their concerns directly to student leaders. These are held at 5:30 p.m. every Tuesday in the Ponderosa Room of the Nebraskan Student Union. It’s important to be aware of what is happening on campus, and the Student Senate is a good place to start.

Another option for students to stay informed is to follow the candidates’ social media pages. Each of the election teams created a page that students can follow to know what the candidates are campaigning on. This resource should be used following elections as well, both by the candidates and students.

Our elected student officials are our leaders on campus – the ones who are going to fight for what us students want. Students should pay attention to what they have to say.

We encourage students to vote. Who we elect into Student Government is meant to represent us and our needs. If students want to see any changes on campus or have their voices heard, they need to care about who is being elected. 

Candidates are campaigning and sharing their initiatives. We encourage students to pay attention to what candidates have to say so they can make an informed decision when voting.

Lopers deserve a say in what happens at UNK, and that starts with voting in elections.