One Student Vote Is In: Popularity Contest Or Well-Deserved?
MSU students feel social media has exacerbated the popularity contest of MSU elections.
Over the past two weeks, we asked students in various forms what they think of MSU candidates using existing social media accounts to run their campaigns. A strong majority of those we spoke to believed it’s turned student issues into a popularity contest of those who “make enough noise for us to know they exist and then place it on their CV as a job well done”.
Prohibited Practice?
Interestingly this may move from mere student perception into actual prohibited practices of MSU elections. Section 4, subsection 3 of the MSU Electoral Commission Candidate Handbook states “it is forbidden for members of the MSU Executive to use their position to further the campaign of any candidate”. One reader has suggested that Alex Balfe, current VP for Education and candidate for MSU President has broken this rule, “as many students will have followed her account to stay up-to-date on [the Where’s My Levy] campaign or to communicate with her in her role as VP Education”. This inference may in fact be correctly drawn, but the MSU Electoral Commission have yet to interpret these rules in regard to social media usage.
This certainly isn’t the first year this has come up, with many previous MSU candidates relying on social media accounts that have been used to promote their role and later campaigns. This practice is not limited to MSU Executive officers. Many of our current candidates for MSU are using social media accounts which promoted their position as senators for their campaigns. That said, section 4, subsection 3 does not appear to extend outside of the MSU Executive. This begs the question, if the commission interprets this section with regard to social media usage, will these rules later extend to members of senate?
One student points out that whatever you believe, “rules should be clearly enforced”; lax attitudes on this rule seems to be a reoccurring issue in elections since the prominence of social media campaigns.
Students and MSU Divide.
One thing is clear: the opinion of students and those in the MSU couldn’t be more divided on this issue.
Gavin Fanning, current Candidate for VP For Education states that “to suggest that students would vote because that’s the first face [they] saw is really an insult to the intelligence of the student body… it’s very reductive”.
Cal Wash, running in the same MSU race, echos this sentiment, stating “the claims of it turning into a popularity contest [are] completely unfounded and points towards a bit of chauvinism towards the Student’ Union”.
One might wonder why these candidates are disregarding student opinion in their opposition of the narrative. While they believe it is unfounded or an insult to intelligence of students, students are self-proclaiming these attitudes. Students claim elections are “rigged” and “have always been a popularity contest”.
While some choose to question the intelligence of these claims, others point out it’s a choice of convenience and reflective of the busy that life student representatives live.
Carrie O’Neil, candidate for MSU Student Life points out that she’s “just so busy” and would be unable to keep track of another social media account in the midst of her studies, job and campaigns. This more empathetic line of reason seems to be followed by Alex Balfe, Kyla Henry and Aoife Hynes as elections approach.
While a shocking amount of students have told us they won’t be voting as they feel there’s “no point” and “it’s rigged”, we would encourage our readers to exercise their democratic power. Sometimes RON (re-open nominations) is where your voice will be most heard and impact most felt. Whether you’re voting because you love a candidate, dislike one or feel RON is your best bet, VOTE.
*Alex Balfe denies the allegations that her conduct impermissible and declines to comment further as she finds the allegation inappropriate*
Last edited 07/03/2023 19:32 following right to reply query
