Another year has come and gone, and another Student Government Association election has been largely ignored.

With $10.8 million to distribute, the election sounds fairly important— and it is. Each vote was equivalent to $12,245. So, with only 882 votes cast, that leaves about 1,000 of us asking why and another 13,000 completely oblivious.

It wasn’t for the lack of candidate outreach. There were plenty of signs and visibility that something was going on. Both sides were well represented by tables in the Rhatigan Student Center, and I often saw students engaged at the event.

Other than general ambivalence, why was the turnout so low? Or should I say—normal?

First, I believe it was very hard to find a difference between the candidates. Not to say that Luis Carbajal and Tyler Nepote didn’t have different ideas, but most of them pertained to things so esoteric to the average student that they’re not even sure what they’re talking about.

Like other levels of politics, interest wanes once it gets past “Are we going to have a football team?” or “Are we going to have a parking garage next to the RSC?”

I have three suggestions that might help.

First, the timing of the elections comes at a time when final projects are being completed and the push for final exams begins. Moving the election might help.

Second, the number of senators is huge. Perhaps it would be better to elect the executives and senators from the various colleges and have them select the at-large senators.

Finally, perhaps we should extend voting to one full week and make announcements in classrooms.

Those ideas have problems of their own, I’m sure, but we need to address the problem somehow.