It’s spring again, which brings the return of Entourage, The Sopranos, hundreds of sexy coeds that must have been in hiding during the winter, and dozens of ASUO candidates that won’t let me walk through the EMU without giving me a handful of fliers that I’m just going to recycle. Every ASUO election comes with the same B.S., and this year is no different.
What’s remarkable is the number of tickets that are running “slates.” For those of you who have successfully avoided the barrage of candidates, slates are top-to-bottom tickets established to help elect the two students running for President and VP.
Rather than voting down slate lines, we should judge candidates individually based on their vision and credentials. Slates fundamentally undermine the entire purpose of voting for each position. No single campaign could possibly assemble the best candidate for every position.
It’s commendable that the ASUO Presidential ticket of Emily McLain and Chii-San SunOwen chose to forgo assembling a slate. They’re endorsing the best candidates, even those running on an opponent’s slate.
This is just one of the reasons why the UO College Democrats fully endorse Emily and San. In addition to their commitment to supporting only the most qualified candidates, they are steadfast in their determination to preserve academic quality, enhance the quality of life for students and protect access to education.
Over the next two weeks, talk to the candidates, find out their views and credentials seat-by-seat, and choose the candidates that you believe will best serve the university.
Ben Lenet
Chair, UO College Democrats