EDITORIAL: "Democracy, Penn Style"

In Undergraduate Assembly and Senior Class Board elections, for example, the maximum a candidate could potentially spend on a campaign is $35. No official political parties -- such as a Greek party -- are permitted in UA elections; candidates for Senior Class Board may not distribute any printed material other than posters. These rules eliminate differences in economic status among candidates. They also attempt to eliminate the advantages of visibility a candidate already in a leadership position might have. The down side to all this idealistic sense of justice is that, to the majority of the student body, candidates have no effective way of distinguishing themselves from other candidates. The campaigns dissolve into pointless hype, while the contests themselves become de facto popularity contests. While students who are already acquainted with a candidate are encouraged to vote for their friends, students who don't know any of the candidates previously are confronted by indistinguisable crowds of loud sign carriers. In the end, the candidate with the most friends wins. At least, that's our impression. Judging by general apathy and low voter turnout, it may be the student body's impression as well. Perhaps the greatest restriction is the rule in both Senior Class Board and UA election codes that prohibits candidates from being quoted in the media. Considering the other election rules, there is no other way to be heard by most of the campus. In addition, it doesn't make sense that during their campaigns, candidates are barred from having their names attached to anything they say. This is the best way for voters to learn about the feelings and beliefs of those already in campus leadership positions. The rules should maintain a reasonable campaign expenditure cap so that elections do not become bidding wars but the press restrictions should be lifted. The election of both UA and Senior Class Board members is significant and it is in everyone's best interest -- candidate, voter, and voting regulations enforcers -- that the campaigns are run not only in the most equitable and meaningful matter possible.

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