Once again it’s SGA election time in Tennessee, Vols. I can already hear the cumulative groans of every frequent patron of Pedestrian Walkway. Get ready to be bombarded this week by three different groups vying for your attention, and more importantly, your vote. You’ve got two fully run campaigns, Connect and Seth, Leala, Willie, both comprised of SGA veterans, and you have Grayson Hawkins, a fellow Daily Beacon columnist, who is running as an independent candidate.

I have worked on campaigns since freshman year, served as a senator as well as the City of Knoxville Liaison for the SGA Executive Board. I am very familiar with most of these candidates, and I would like to offer you my opinion of who thinks they’re most qualified to represent you to the administration.

I would also like to encourage you to vote. I realize that a lot of my readership is involved students who have become disinterested in the affairs of student government and those associated with it. I also realize that what I’m about to say may not help this view, but I am a proponent of truth and its power for change. As of now, with all campaigns combined, 11 seats out of the 60 total will go unfilled. This low Senate turnout will translate into low voter turnout, possibly even lower than last year’s, which was the worst in almost a decade. I don’t say this to discourage; I say this to inform.

SGA is in a bad place right now in regards to its future, and something needs to change. I say this also because I still believe in student government as an instrument for good. I would argue that this year’s SGA administration has done more for the student body than any other administration since I’ve been here, but that’s a column for another time.

So, let’s take a look at each campaign. I’ll start with Grayson Hawkins. I only met Hawkins once at a party, so most of my information about him and his platform comes from his Facebook page as well as his interview with the Daily Beacon.

Hawkins is definitely the most progressive candidate this year, and he has made a lot of points that I agree with. However, some claims are too radical. Hawkins lists on his platform his intention to “end Aramark.”

This is a delicious idea, isn’t it? We all hate Aramark, so let’s just get rid of them! Well, the truth is, we’d sooner get a tuition decrease than remove Aramark from this campus. And what would be the alternative? Just another company like Aramark profiting from the monopoly as the sole provider of food on campus. The solution to this is to work with Aramark and the administration to improve the situation by lowering prices and increasing the value of meal plans. Hawkins has a fiery passion, but if he wants to be president, he can’t spend his entire time in office fighting the administration if he wants to get anything done.

The Seth, Leala, Willie campaign, comprising Seth Watkins, Leala Marlin, and Willie Kemp, has a platform focused on unifying students, which is an admirable goal, but one that few have accomplished. Like Hawkins, they also include sexual assault among their policy points, yet there is no mention of LGBT issues. Watkins is one of the most qualified people I know for this position, and he will get my vote. Marlin is also well qualified, having served this year as the secretary for the SGA Senate. They have a clear passion for student representation, but their policy leaves something to be desired.

Connect is the most traditional looking campaign, verb name and all. Their platform is also lacking what I consider to be very important issues concerning the student body. However, Madison Kahl has the executive experience SGA needs right now, having served this year as SGA’s executive treasurer. The same goes for Mariah Beane, who has the most experience in student services. These two have the ability to get things done, but just need good policy behind them.

This election is a key one, and I don’t want to spend all my time criticizing candidates because they should all be commended for putting in the effort it takes to run a campaign. It takes a lot of courage to put yourself out there and be subject to criticism like mine. I don’t think there is a terrible choice in this bunch, but I hope my recommendations can help inform your vote. Many of these people are my friends, and I know that they do care a great deal about the student body.

Do not underestimate the responsibility they will be given. Having served on administrative committees and attended countless meetings with the administration, I can tell you that students offer a great deal of insight to the administration and influence many of the decisions they make every single day. Make sure you put the right people in the right places. Go vote, and go Vols.

Thomas Carpenter is a junior in classics. He can be reached at [email protected] and tweeted @tfcarpenter.