Student government is an important part of the college experience. Whether it’s holding a position, or voting for who best represents what the students need, campus politics affect all of us and there’s no reason why majority of students can’t at least vote. 

Last year’s Associated Students Inc. had the largest voter turnout in nine years, when 3,780 students came out to vote. This year, ASI has reached perhaps it’s lowest point, with almost every candidate running unopposed. 

According to the list of candidates on the ASI website, only two out of fifteen positions open for the 2014 elections have more than one candidate running. Those positions include the Director of Social Sciences and Director of Engineering and Computer Science.

It’s incredibly alarming that students at a University, located in the State Capital, would show such miniscule interest in their student government. We have to wonder why 13 positions are going unopposed and whether it’s an issue within ASI or our student body. 

ASI undoubtedly puts on events on campus, but how involved are they getting students? One of the biggest complaints many of us hear among students, is they don’t feel like Sacramento State has a very big sense of community. 

If students don’t feel connected, they’ll be less likely to care about student politics.

The other strange thing about this drastic drop in ASI participation, is that upper division government students are highly encouraged by their professors to run for any elected positions available on campus, especially ASI. 

You would think out of all majors, government students would be competing against each other left and right for student government positions. The reality, however, is they aren’t. They’re informed in every class that it’s not only good practice, but they receive a scholarship check as well. It seems, though, that many are just ignoring the advice or simply choosing not to get involved.

It makes no sense how we can go from the highest voter turnout in nine years, to this – an opponent-less campaign. How riveting. 

Those who hold positions within ASI, have access to the necessary resources to reach out to students, and get them more involved with students within their college, as well as others, but clearly they could be doing more. 

We as a student body need to bridge the gaps between us and create our own sense of community. Only when the students care about the well-being of the campus as whole, will people be more interested in and inclined to run for student government jobs. We deserve a powerful ASI with a big voice on campus.