In recent years, millennial voters have made the difference in national elections, and have the potential to do the same at the college level.

As the Student Association elections wind down, student interest in university politics is imperative to incite change at Syracuse University.

This past week reaffirmed a recognized trend for the past several years: a lack of student votes in the SA election. As of Wednesday at 6 p.m., only 21.4 percent of the student body — slightly more than 3,000 students — voted in the election, said Dan Hernandez, chair of the Board of Elections and Membership for SA. This number of votes is lower than last year, when nearly 3,500 students had voted by this point in the election.

Although this number represents about 1-in-5 students, even more should vote.

This college-age demographic has already proven its potential on the national scale. In 2008, young voters propelled Barack Obama to win his first term as president of the United States. Despite a dip in support in 2012, this same demographic played a crucial role in re-electing him last year.

Students could have a similar effect at the university level if they become engaged with SU’s closest form of a governing body, SA.

SA directly affects students. Each student is required to pay a student fee, which SA then allocates to different registered student organizations. This gives nearly every student on SU’s campus, even if they are not interested in politics, reason to become involved in university politics.

But perhaps most notably, SA serves as a liaison to students and administration — the most influential body on this campus. Students can use SA as a resource to reach out to administrative figures like the chancellor.

With more participation from students, SA’s ability to satisfy student interests and utilize its relationships with higher administration could vastly improve. If students want the organization to fulfill its obligation to serve the student body, they should vote to determine the next leaders and future of SA.

Voting will only benefit students in the future. By becoming politically involved at the campus level, students will have the experience to continue promoting change for their demographic after college.

It could all start now — with a simple vote.

Published on November 14, 2013 at 1:49 am

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