Students engaged in city elections

Municipal elections are approaching across the province and it is very important for students to get involved. A Laurier student is running for council in the Uptown ward, while a recent Waterloo graduate is running for Central Columbia.

This is a good sign that students are becoming engaged in the municipal election process, which will go a long way to properly integrate students into the community as a whole.

The ward structure in the city makes it very difficult for students to receive a voice. Student voters are divided into two separate wards, making it difficult to have a concentrated vote. With that being said, people close to student interests running in both wards with a high student population is a great stride in making sure the student voice is heard during the election campaign.

Student candidates need to be conscious, however, that to be on council they need to represent more than just students. We live in this city side by side permanent residents, and our interests will be served for the better if we can work together to improve the community. It is critical that student candidates, like any other candidates, run to represent their whole ward. City voters will have little patience for a single interest representative.

Students have a stake in the upcoming municipal elections. The gains of having people close to student interests run will be lost if students do not come out to vote. Get involved in the process and make a difference.