Ah yes, it's election time once again here at Pomona College- and the campaigning has inevitably begun. "Every Time You Flush, Think of RUSH. (Vote Mike Rush for Freshman Class Representative)" Cute. This is what I am greeted with each morning as I stumble into the bathroom stall. Don't forget that Andrew Floyd "wants YOU for the Broccolitariat." Granted, I do laugh each time I discover a new broccoli-oriented sign strategically placed in the dorms, but I'm not too impressed. Seriously, is this the caliber of candidates I will encounter during the next four years? I expected more, and this reminds me of high school. I hoped there would come a time when the campaign signs with which we are all inundated were eye-catching, not because of their supposed humor but because of the substantive issues that they address. And what's with Aaron Johnson? A senior running for freshman class president? Yeah, he's got the experience, but something tells me that we won't really be seeing his name on the ballot. Elections aren't a joke, at least they aren't intended to be.

Candidate forums provided a decent opportunity for the students to survey their options, and I was pleased with the sincerity that the candidates expressed in the noisy and inattentive dining hall. The ASPC candidate statements published last Friday in The Student Life brought me some semblance of comfort as well. The statements were, for the most part, straightforward and persuasive. As it turns out, Rush really does claim to have "an earnest interest in student government," and at the very least, I can say that though the "power of broccoli" may not move my ID class to 11 o'clock, Andrew Floyd does promise to do his job. Furthermore, I was thoroughly encouraged by the students who truly seem to be taking their candidacy seriously. Adam Rick: now there's a man who's got it right. He has flyers, but they aren't funny. He has information out in the dining halls (no humor involved there either). And do you know what else he has besides an adorable smile? He has goals, plans to accomplish them, and experience. I am by no means saying that humor is without a place in the political arena; it can be influential and effective, it should be used wisely and with purpose. And then there's Jake Oken-Berg. This time he's running unopposed. He has ambition, clear goals, and an email address to which you can send your concerns. Good strategy. Now, this is more like what I expected to see in the political process of such a prestigious college.

So the ASPC elections don't necessarily meet my rigorous standards. It could be worse, right? This article could be about the presidential elections! I should be elated that Pomona elections are free from negative campaigning, and that we as students and voters are not assaulted with a barrage of ridiculous promises to sway our votes. I should be thankful that our student government consists of my fellow students and not of Bushes and Gores. Our candidates are merely those who care about life at Pomona and desire to restore a little order, bring us better parties, and let freshmen sleep in on Tuesdays and Thursdays. It's easy to be cynical about the political process. But what's the good of all this bitching if you don't do anything about it? Run for office (who knows, maybe next year you'll find my humor-free signs in your bathroom stall)! If you're not cut out to be a "politician," assist someone who is. And for Broccoli's sake, I hope you voted. I don't care if you voted for someone just because their signs made you laugh, I suppose that, after all, it is as good a reason as any. "Vote early, vote often," right? And here at Pomona, all you have to do is show up at lunch or dinner to cast your vote. Now how hard is that?