In last week's UGBC primaries, 1,990 votes were cast, accounting for about 20 percent of the student body. Though that number is representative of voter participation in national primary elections, for a collegiate campaign it is relatively low—with an undergrad population of a little over 9,000, it is difficult to argue that candidates nominated with such a small percentage adequately reflect the multifaceted Boston College population. Even more discerning is the fact that the amount of students voting in the primary dropped by about one third from that of last year, when 3,284 votes were cast.
Although there will never be any concrete determination of why these numbers so drastically changed, The Heights would like to point out the apparent lack of visibility of this year's presidential teams, as well as the disorganization of the voting system. Last year, during UGBC election season, students were bombarded with handshakes in the Quad, doors were being held open, and giant paintings were in dorm windows, yet this year these actions seemed sparse. These may be actions of "stereotypical" UGBC candidates, but they were actions that showed dedication and accessibility. This is not to say that this year's candidates did not make any effort to be visible to the student body (The Heights would like to commend the effectiveness of many teams dorm walks), but we must say that campaigning was noticeably quieter this year.
In addition, the apparent inadequacy of this year's voting system must be acknowledged. To raise awareness about voting, UGBC decided to sent out e-mail blasts the day of voting as their primary source of information. Mass e-mails are easily lost in the shuffle and hardly the best way to gain the individual attention of students. With inboxes already cluttered with swarms of e-mails from other BC-affiliated groups, it is hard to believe that too many students would pay attention to another seemingly unimportant blast. Furthermore, the fact that an original e-mail was sent out with the wrong date of the primaries, as well as the momentary morning glitch causing some students' votes to be discounted, demonstrates the evident disorganization of this year's process.
That being said, the blame does not lie solely with UGBC or the elections committee for the lack of student participation. Many BC students are exceedingly apathetic, and handshakes and e-mails will never assuage this. UGBC, as the voice of the undergraduate population, must strive to figure out how to draw these students in. We at The Heights know this is a difficult and extensive undertaking, but it is one that must be done and one that must not be forgotten. UGBC—find out what makes these students tick and attempt to bring them into the fold. Be creative, be innovative, and never quit.
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