The Dane County Board of Supervisors may not have the high profile of other governing bodies that affect Madison, such as the state Legislature or the Madison Common Council.

But students living in the 5th District — which covers a significant portion of the UW campus and Eagle Heights — will have the opportunity to go to the polls April 4 to vote for a candidate that could potentially impact life within the district. And given the two candidates in the election, there is one clear choice.

That choice is David Lapidus.

Mr. Lapidus may be a mere freshman, but he has already displayed a remarkable record of service on campus, specifically as a representative on the Student Services Finance Committee. And though he and his sense of fiscal responsibility have been slighted by many on the committee — including his proposal to limit the salaries of ASM officials — we feel he would be a positive addition to the Board.

Unlike his opponent, Ashok Kumar, Mr. Lapidus seems to have a strong understanding of the workings and limitations of the Board. He proposes creating an online tenant rating system to protect prospective tenants and consolidating environmental services within the county to increase environmental quality while minimizing wasteful spending.

Further, Mr. Lapidus understands the realities of government spending and understands that a light rail system in Dane County is not feasible given the demographics of the area.

We believe Lapidus will not engage in the futile symbolic legislation that typified the current occupant of the seat, Echnaton Vedder. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Mr. Kumar, who has tilted at windmill after windmill, gallivanting about downtown Madison, going on hunger strikes and getting arrested.

Lapidus, unlike Mr. Kumar, draws his support from a grassroots effort rather than entrenched bases of power in the county. His showing of 29 percent in a four-way primary represents a remarkable accomplishment for someone who has been in Madison for less than one year. The infusion of new blood would do the Board good.

The 5th District has often been referred to as a student seat on the Board. However, with Mr. Lapidus' professionalism and his knowledge of local government issues on the Board, we believe the seat, and the student voice by extension, will no longer be marginalized as it has been in the past.

Mac VerStandig and Mike Robinson did not participate in the crafting of this editorial.