It’s Primary Day, but students won’t see extensive get-out-to-vote efforts, if at all. The SGA announced they would only send out an e-mail despite having a list of all student voters on the campus. This is simply not enough.
It is true that most people, not just students, see Primary Day as little more than the last day they will be assaulted by campaign signs, self-righteous candidates and omnipresent news coverage. However, there are those who manage to hold their noses and give the democratic process a chance – after all, when politicians take a break from preening their own feathers and gouging each other’s eyes out, they do control small things such as the tax rolls, schools and public safety. For this reason, it is essential that those who have already demonstrated a willingness to participate in the process by registering to vote be gently reminded of its importance.
The Student Government Association holds that list of those brave people, yet plans on doing nothing. SGA members have the option of working at the polls, but how many people will actually turn out is unclear.
In the past, we have seen SGA members riding around in golf carts, loudly proclaiming their presence on the campus and giving Primary Day the importance it deserves. In their own campaigns, they blanket the campus with bright shirts and flyers. It seems only reasonable to do at least as much in an election that actually matters. Unfortunately, it appears that Tuesday will probably be a day as quiet as any on the campus – with just another e-mail to shove into the junk mail folder.
In such a heavily Democratic state as Maryland, voting in the primary becomes vitally important. With so many competitive races, this year’s election could see a major change in the makeup of the county council and state legislature. Incumbents are facing powerful challengers, and issues dear to students are at stake. Primary day deserves just as much energy from the SGA as any election in the past.
