Linda Chang – The smell of democracy is in the air throughout the school building. Elections for student government positions for next year are here and the campaign posters are up. Students will compete against each other to secure a place in student government and hopefully make a change throughout the school. Sophomore Anna Rothenberger hopes to retain her title as class treasurer for her junior year.
“I was class treasurer last year and dealing with the money aspect of things is a really good and fun experience,” Rothenberger said.
According to the Orange County Registrar of Voters, elections that take place during school help students learn important lessons on elections and the power of each vote. It is a healthy competition between teenagers that only shows positive benefits.
Although elections teach students the significance of government and democracy, not all students choose to participate in the running or the voting side of the elections.
“You want to feel like you are honestly earning the vote by the school; if you have no competitors then you are practically getting handed the title automatically and you don’t get the most out of the experience,” Rothenberger said.
Students in high school may not always see the importance of voting or running for a spot on the student government team. The Campus Election Engagement Project (CEEP), is a organization that wants to help spread awareness about the importance of the participation in elections. According to them, students are not aware of what student government does for the school. Students cannot expect to participate in an activity they know nothing about.
CEEP also states that every vote counts. Votes are what ultimately decide who gets elected and students should feel honored that they have the power to control the election.
“You never really know how elections are going to turn out every year because in the end, it’s not up to just me. It is up to everyone else in the school,” Rothenberger said.
According to CEEP, elections is just a friendly competition between peers that help strengthen the experience and leadership skills in each student. Voting also helps empower students to have their own voice and opinion.
“Everyone should participate. It’s a great environment,” Rothenberger said. “It also looks great on a college application too.”
To learn more about student government and elections, go to http://www.campuselect.org/ for more information.
