Uncontested Loss

The concession speeches for this year's losing Student Association Presidential candidates will be the easiest in school history. That's because there won't be one. Only one candidate is running for SA president, and it is unlikely anything will happen that will cost Dela Yador, this year's SA vice president, the election. While there are several candidates for other positions like SA delegate and treasurer, the lead SA position will be awarded in an uncontested election for the first time in years. While the activity among the lower posts bodes well for the future, no candidates at the presidential level result in a dearth of ideological or policy change coming from outside the existing SA hierarchy. Democracy exists to create a forum for many different ideas to exist and be injected into political discussion. Unfortunately this influence is negated when few voices make their way to the top.

In recent UB history, interest in the annual SA elections stems from controversy - last year Anthony Burgio won in a five-way race that emerged from the controversy surrounding last year's E-board. Previous years drew modest fields for all races with their own controversy. This year's administration, and election process thus far, has been relatively free of controversy. Whether that is a result of student apathy or straight-laced politics remains to be seen, but this year's SA elections just did not draw the candidates previous years had. While no one wants controversy to be the precursor to change, something to spark interest in the SA election process and candidacy can only help improve SA.

One of the more visible deterrents to SA outsiders is a perceived nepotism within SA, a perception that is not necessarily true. While it is true next year's president is this year's president's second-in-command, previous presidents were not necessarily the incumbent's choice. Yador said potential candidates shouldn't assume a candidate with connections to the incumbents is an automatic win.

"I don't think anyone should limit themselves just because they think the incumbent has the advantage," he said.

Yador said he invites the competition, but running uncontested shows students are pleased with the direction SA is going. "Since I'm running unopposed, I'm under the impression students are fine with the way things are going," he said.

Unfortunately, Yador's comments have a good amount of truth to them - if no one is challenging the platform of the incumbent party then there is no reason for them to sway from their vision. This is not to say Yador is a poor candidate; he is very qualified, given his extensive SA experience. Where Yador, and the UB student, loses out is that there is no competition to push him on his issues or in his campaign. The lack of an interested outside party with an alternative take on the workings of SA and their current direction would prove invaluable, not necessarily shifting the election to their favor, but shifting the issues, much like a marginal third party candidate often does in local, state and national elections. The real benefit of another candidate is to challenge the institution, infusing alternative views that make the system stronger.

As Yador said, lamenting his lack of competition, "I wish there were competition because it keeps you sharp, you can't complacent in this realm."