Continuing with my editorial topic from last week, this week I am going to focus more on the importance of voting in the USGA elections. Last week, to recap, I made a point to stress the importance of getting to know the candidates, find out what they stand for, and what they promise to do. Did you do that? Do you even know who is running? Elections have already opened up, and they will run until March 29. Are you ready to make a decision that will impact your school, fellow undergraduates, and clubs and organizations for the year 2012-2013? If it seems like a lot of pressure, you can bet it is.

I would just like to say that there are a variety of fully qualified candidates for each position, making your decision as a student much harder probably than expected. I’ve listened to and read campaign platforms, watched videos, and listened to speeches. I’m actually quite impressed with whom we have running, and I have no doubt that it is going to be a close race this year. I have had candidates come to club meetings, there are signs all around campus, and a Facebook page for each person asking people to vote for them. It’s hard to not notice that there is an election going on. Hopefully, this has brought some people in asking “oh USGA Elections…what’s USGA? Hopefully it has sparked the interests of more people to join and get involved.

With all of that being said, I really hope that everyone votes during the three days that the polls are open. Do not let this election go without making an impact and casting your vote. Your opinion counts too, and you do have a say. So say something! Please do not ignore the email that was sent out to everyone like you ignore all of the other emails (the few that we still get anyway). It will take less than two minutes of your time out of the next 72 hours. I think you have two minutes to spare to vote to make a difference. Each candidate’s campaign platform will be in the ballot as well. Take the time to read those as well if you haven’t done so already. They will let you know where each person stands. If you haven’t attended anything up to this point, at least do the minimum as opposed to doing completely nothing.

I cannot stress enough to importance of voting. I stress voting for anything to be important, whether it be the President of the United States to our own USGA President. Everyone has issues on this campus, and no matter how many times Matt and I push for people to be proactive about situations, very few people are. (A prime example can be found in Matt’s editorial this week.) Everyone likes to complain, but few complain in the right manner and to the right people. Wouldn’t you rather know who the right people are to go to in order to get these issues resolved? If only we had some sort of undergraduate student association with a leader who could help us with all of our issues. Oh wait…we do? See how that works. So vote today for the person you believe will make a difference, who will listen to all students, and who will represent everyone.

You can’t be too busy right now, since you are just sitting there reading a newspaper, so go vote right now. Oh and for those of you reading this editorial online, look at that; you are already logged into a computer and one step closer to voting. Vote today and “let your voice be heard” (as the popular USGA saying goes).