Student Government elections are just around the corner and it is our duty and pleasure to provide readers with the scoop on presidential candidates. I know. I just have one thing to say first: Tickets suck.

Researching the candidates, as a voter and for writing this article, has been pretty disappointing. Every year, a single ticket covers a vast majority of the available positions. In 2004 the ticket du jour, Focus, took all 43 available positions. Ten students campaigned for the presidential seat and a record-breaking 23 percent of the student body came out to vote. The trend of mass driven groups dominating the electorate has since continued, minus the variety of presidential candidates and voter turnout. The Connect ticket took 31 of 40 seats in 2005. Impact secured 34 of 39 available positions in 2006. Both elections featured largely uncontested ballots and much lower rates of voter participation. Last year, Advance claimed all but one position. Andrew Solomon was awarded the presidency with no contest. I’m too disgusted to even quip about that.

Almost every seat in the assembly will be filled by this year’s juggernaut ticket, Empower, if they get their way. Probabilistically, they will. Empower’s campaign distribution reads like the bottom line of an eye exam chart, but I can’t blame them. They would have to hand out banners to get all of their candidates and initiatives on in a readable font.

Empower’s presidential candidate is Keshav Rajagopalan, a third-year Plan II and Political Communications major. For the sake of time and space, I asked Rajagopalan what three initiatives he would be most intent on accomplishing as SG president. He responded that his main goals will be (1) to cooperate with the City of Austin on projects regarding safety and urban development in student-rich, off-campus areas, (2) to initiate student involvement on campus within the first few days of a freshman’s life as a Longhorn and (3) to work with the State Legislature on maintaining affordability at UT. Rajagopalan agrees that tuition should remain reasonable, but does not want affordability to interfere with quality. With more state funding, the University could secure the same level of excellence without putting too much strain on students.

Honestly, good for him. Out with the Riverside robberies and in with the student activities. I just hope he has enough time to get to those items when Empower’s ticket lists motions ranging from student endowments to “wayfinding signage” to religiously sensitive food options.

On the other hand there is Matt Li, third-year petroleum engineering major, who is vying for the presidential position as an Independent. When I say ‘other hand,’ I mean another hand that is very, very far from the first hand. When asked about his platform, Li replied that he does not have one and will very unlikely be “pulling one out of [his posterior-end] within the next two weeks.” His idea of an academic initiative is to increase the number of albino squirrels on campus so students will have more luck on test days. Well, I guess that is one alternative to Empower’s agenda to increase operational hours for campus study areas.

This is what I mean. Student tickets have steamrolled over the competition so much that people run fake campaigns just so the presidential seat won’t go uncontested. A variety of members should compose SG in a way that represents the mosaic student body. But here’s how it is, folks – the big topics up for debate amongst the presidential candidates: albino squirrels. Leave them alone or breed them?

I hope Empower enjoys their reign next year. I also hope they take their responsibilities seriously and don’t go stamp crazy every time one of their buddies puts a movement through. I would like to see affordable tuition, tax-free textbooks, etc. Those things generally require work, commitment, disagreements, and compromises. Let’s see if a government consisting of members on a single platform can supply the voice for a student population over 50,000 strong.

Elections will be held online through the Student Government website (http://www.utsg.org). Polls are open from 8AM to 9PM on Wednesday, February 27, and from 8AM to 5PM on Thursday, February 28. You must have a UTEID to sign into the election site.

-Rachel Wright