Have you ever wondered what happens behind the scenes of campaign week? I hear several questions about it that I will be giving answers to by sharing 10 things I learned about voting and SGA campaigns while I worked on one myself.
The most intriguing ones being...
1. How to tell if a campaign cheated.
If you're not involved in SGA or participating in a campaign, you probably wouldn't hear anything about rules being broken by one of the campaigns running, especially since you might not know the rules. The rules for campaign week at the University of Tennessee are pretty strict. No form of mass email or text is allowed to be set out without the consent of the receiver, no giving out campaign materials in dining halls, residence halls, or most buildings, no writing with chalk on sidewalks advertising for the campaign, and the list goes on.
A common punishment for a campaign if they were to break one of these rules would be to not allow them to campaign in person for a certain amount of time. So, if you ever notice a campaign is not on Ped Walkway while the other ones are, it's most likely because they broke a rule!
2. The policies are just for show.
Most campaigns list a certain amount of things they want to do or change once they are elected, but most of the time they have no control over those ideas nor have any way of enforcing them. So, I encourage you to always ask a campaign how they are able to carry out their plans and if they have the authority to do so.
3. Look for people on the campaign that aren't running for anything.
If one campaign has a significant amount of people working on it and advertising for them that are not actually personally benefiting from it, it means that those people genuinely believe in those running on the campaign and just how much of an effect they have on people. I personally did not run for any position with the campaign I supported, I simply believed in all of them so much and I knew they were best for the job.
4. Pay attention to their past experience.
When it comes to the leaders of SGA, it is obvious that someone who has been heavily involved in it since day one would be best suited for the job. However, just because they have participated in an organization does not mean that did that they contributed well. Make sure they have a good standing in those organizations and how well they were actually involved when it came to the work involved.
5. Listen to all campaigns, then make a decision.
Even people that have worked with a campaign struggle with this. They may have chosen one to support too early and was not able to give another campaign a chance. Hearing from every candidate is crucial in the voting process, because if you don't truly know each of them, how are you supposed to say one is better than the others?
6. Don't just pick random people.
Honestly, if you're going to pick randomly for any position, you shouldn't vote. This throws off the entire results because believe it or not, you vote matters! You may give power to someone that won't use it well. Your vote might be the deciding one between an extremely qualified candidate and one that truly does not care.
7. Be an informed voter.
If you're going to vote, make sure you know the candidates well and all that they stand for. As well as the current problems within SGA and how each candidate would contribute in fixing that problem. Also, don't be afraid to ask around and see if each campaign is playing fairly or not! A cheating campaign should not deserve to win.
8. Once you pick a campaign you believe in, support them.
Being able to support my peers that I believed would work extremely hard, was an amazing experience. I was able to form new friendships as well as learn about students on the campus and their thoughts. It is a great way to meet people and create a positive change at the university, after all, EVERY VOTE COUNTS.
9. The leaders of SGA have a huge influence on campus.
SGA may not be able to do as much as you think, but everyone involved is most likely someone who leads at the university. Therefore, the leaders of SGA are the mentors to MANY other leaders. This means that whoever is to fill those positions must already be a great leader and someone who is willing to help others become better leaders. SGA leaders also have opportunities to speak with administration as they voice student concerns and advocate for them. They are also given many opportunities to speak in front of others and encourage them. Meaning, those in charge of SGA need to be trustworthy, personable, and reliable.
10. Every vote counts.
It's true! One vote can have a huge impact on the results. Which is why it is so important to be an informed voter, pay attention to the campaigns, and supporting the campaign you believe in. SGA elections also don't usually have a good voter turnout, which is terrible considering the fact that each student's voice can be heard most through SGA.