With all the mayhem surrounding the presidential election, you may not have noticed that we are currently in the midst of another contest. From now until Thursday, the Associated Students of Madison are holding fall elections. If you happened to miss the buildup preceding this vote, well, it is not surprising. In traditional ASM fashion, candidates for these positions will be competing to see who can convince the most Facebook friends to vote for them.

I can’t blame you for not being enthused about the ASM elections. In the shadow of an epic battle for our nation’s highest post, it is hard to conceal the triviality of a student government election. Although this has never been confirmed by a political science class, I have always suspected a correlation between the lofty goals promised by a leader and the size of their following. In this case, it is hard for the promises of young student candidates to compete for your attention. I am sure they will work very, very hard to represent students, but you want someone who will solve the national financial crisis. While apathy over student government elections may be winning the battle, this period of heightened political involvement presents some convincing reasons to sacrifice a little time to vote in the ASM elections.

The most important reason to vote in the ASM elections is that it gives you the right to complain. The duty to complain is a right we hold close. Sacrosanct and immutable, the right to complain about things you are unhappy with is a fundamental component of the American experience. However, the right is forfeited by refusing to participate in the process. The fresh, young crop of ASMers may have the determination and talent to change student government into an organization you can be proud of. But if you do not ensure that your candidates are elected, you have not put forth the requisite effort to justify any form of protest when things do not change.

If this entire campus complained about the student government, ASM would be in a far better place. Instead, the biggest hurdle facing ASM is apathy. For the 90 percent of campus who is unconcerned about student government, I can’t blame you for not voting. That is, I can’t blame you unless you are member of one of hundreds of student organizations who receive financial support from ASM. During this period of ASM reform, these new representatives promise to leave their mark on ASM’s funding processes. Changes in ASM financial policies could have a very serious impact on your group’s ambition.

But still, the financial future of your student organization hardly warrants wasting three minutes to vote. That is, unless you are upset with the lack of a response by ASM on issues, such as campus safety. In the wake of the recent crime spree infecting our campus, the student government should be on the front lines in addressing this issue. I guess if you feel campus safety is an issue, you could vote.

Otherwise, I can’t see any reason to vote in the ASM elections. Then again, you may want to have a say in how your segregated fees are spent. You will pay about $900 in segregated fees this year. I suppose this only constitutes rent for two or three months (unless you live in Lucky). And after refunds, this is a lot higher than what most of us will pay in federal taxes.

But why should we care how money is spent? I suppose in a time when household budgets are tight, you may want to ensure this money is being managed responsibly. You may have an interest in making sure students get a fair deal with the bus pass. Or maybe you are angry the Union always places your student organization in the basement of humanities while nonstudents — who are not paying the Union $300 a year — get to use bigger and more accessible Union space. If any of these are true, maybe you should vote for ASM.

If you are completely satisfied with student support and services on this campus, don’t bother voting. However, if you have any desire to make your campus a better environment, you better vote. If you think student organizations are a valuable part of your educational experience, then vote. If you have ever had a complaint with the Union, University Health Services or Rec Sports, you should vote. Things can improve on this campus, but it requires you to sacrifice three minutes to go online and vote.

Alex Gallagher ([email protected]) is a senior majoring in history.