It’s all about the vote

By Demetrios Nicolaides

Every year in October, the Students’ Union opens its doors to the democratic process. The by-election is an annual occurrence, and is held to fill any positions left vacant after the General Election.


Currently the SU is looking for representatives for the faculties of Law, Social Work, Fine Arts, Education, Medicine and Kinesiology, as well as two academic commissioners. These representatives work with the Vice-President Academic to develop academic policy on issues that affect your education. For example, there are sure to be numerous discussions and decisions regarding the increasing role of the Internet in your education and making the move to a more online university. These are key issues which have a direct impact on students, and by voting for the best candidate you will help to ensure that real students’ opinions are taken into consideration. It’s hard to complain about the decisions or actions of the SU if you had no part in selecting the individuals who are here to represent you.


While the deadline for submitting nominations for these positions has already passed, don’t fear, we have received numerous applications for all positions, and many election races are predicted. Starting Thu., Oct. 10–that’s tomorrow–candidates will be actively campaigning for your vote for two short weeks. This is where you come in.


From Oct. 22-24 voting days will occur, so make sure you come out and cast your ballot. Voting stations will be set up all three days in MacEwan Student Centre, the Social Sciences building and the Information Commons. If you’re unable to visit these various voting stations, you can also vote online from the comfort of your own home. Simply log on to the Infonet and click on the appropriate link for the Students’ Union election. Voting is such an easy thing to do, and now with the use of the Infonet there is no excuse for not taking part in the democratic process.


Although many of you believe that the SU is useless, it ultimately depends on the time and energy that you, the voters, put into it. There will be many candidates running for these vacant positions and to ensure only the best candidates are selected, we m ust remember that every vote counts.


Wondering if you can or can’t vote? The answer is simple. All undergraduate students at the University of Calgary have the right to vote in all SU elections.


Don’t let apathy imprison you. Cast your vote and have a say in the quality of your representatives.