The discouragingly low voter turnout in this year's Student Assembly elections reveals the degree to which the Assembly has failed in its purpose of representing Dartmouth students.
Only 1,259 students, the lowest turnout since 1989, took the time to vote -- a number too low to be attributed to sheer laziness.
When the majority of students on campus demonstrate such unmistakable apathy toward the Assembly's actions and its elections, it is obvious that the Assembly is not doing enough to attract the attention of the students it claims to represent.
This voter indifference is a reflection of both the Assembly's failure to produce substantial results in the past year and the Election Advisory Committee's ill-conceived decision to speed up the election process.
This year's shortened campaign period led to an election almost without voters. Only about one-third of the students on campus voted in the election, and the ballot was rife with empty spots. In fact, it took nothing more than a small group of friends to elect many of next year's representatives as write-in candidates to an already faltering Assembly.
In order to remedy this discouraging lack of concern, next year's Assembly must take ambitious steps to increase its productivity and its openness to the entire student population. In the future, the EAC should return to its previous election system, allowing a longer campaign season for candidates to establish their platforms.
Although such a poor showing on the part of voters weakens the Assembly's power, president-elect Josh Green and vice president-elect Case Dorkey should interpret the low voter turnout as a mandate for goal-oriented action.
In addition, the Assembly should take advantage of the upcoming administrative turnover to demonstrate its legitimacy. Future President James Wright has a similar need to establish strong relations with students and is more open than ever to student input, as demonstrated by his attendance at the candidates' reception last night.
By quickly achieving the objectives they articulated in their platforms, Green and Dorkey can establish the credibility and legitimacy that the Assembly needs so desperately.
If the Assembly can demonstrate its latent ability to deliver on student demands by undertaking and accomplishing service-oriented initiatives such as cable television and ample parking, student support will not be far behind.
An active Student Assembly will gain the respect of the student body and generate the respect and concern necessary to make next year's elections more representative.
