As the 2003 A.S. election campaign season starts, more than half of the candidates will run unopposed. Seven out of 12 positions for A.S. Council will present only one choice for students voting on the week of April 7 through April 11. The seven unopposed offices include six of the commissioner positions and the office of Vice President External.
Some of the candidates expressed their disappointment about not having anyone to run against.
“”I wish someone was running against me,”” said Vice President External candidate Rigo Marquez. “”I think that having more candidates would put more pressure on a person to do the best job possible.””
The widespread lack of opposition for A.S. Council positions contrasts last year’s elections, in which multiple candidates competed for most offices. According to A.S. Council Adviser Paul De Wine, there were a “”record number of candidates”” participating last year.
“”People should feel more comfortable running for positions in A.S., but many are feeling discouraged to run and that should be changed,”” said unopposed candidate for the Commissioner of Enterprise Operations Jeremy Cogan. “”I was comfortable in getting involved because of the climate, but some people might not feel the same way.””
Many of the unopposed candidates are still prepared to let students know about their plans for next year and to earn some votes.
“”I still want people to vote for me,”” Marquez said. “”If anything, I feel like I have to prove myself even more and that I am qualified for the position of VP External.””
Like Cogan, others feel that running without opponents gives him more time to work on plans for next year.
“”It enables me to put 100 percent of my efforts on what to do next year and not just on getting elected and campaigning,”” Cogan said.
Many of the unchallenged candidates have also maintained that they will continue to campaign.
According to candidate for Commissioner of Student Services Kelly Vasant, she will still campaign and focus on “”letting people know my name and helping with my slate.””
Some also say that running unopposed enables candidates to focus on helping members in their slate who are running against other people. According to senior senator candidate for Earl Warren College Jennifer Klage running unopposed will allow her to throw her energy and support into helping out her team members from the Unity slate.
Other candidates feel that it is necessary to advocate their own positions while also directing attention to their respective slates on campus.
“”I’m going to both focus on my campaign and support everyone else in my slate,”” said unopposed candidate for Commissioner of Academic Affairs and member of the Students First! slate Perse Hooper. “”I believe in my slate and I’ll do what I can to support them.””
Even for independent candidate Jordan Cross, who is running unopposed for commissioner of athletics, having the prearranged assurance still means that campaigning goes as planned.
“”My approach to the campaign will be just as serious as it were a contested election,”” Cross said.
Candidates have also expressed concern about the widespread lack of opposition and what it means to the campus community.
“”I think that it says a lot about campus and a lack of community,”” Hooper said. “”Students should be involved and know that they do have power.””
Similar to A.S. Council positions, some college council offices are also uncontested.
“”I would have liked to see competition as it aids in ensuring the right candidate is in office,”” said John Muir College Commissioner of Records candidate Amanda Hulsizer. “”As far as how my campaign is going to be run, it will be run as close as possible to a campaign in which I would be running opposed.””