On Wednesday, May 3, RNE poll sites will reopen. This time, however, it is not for an election but for a referendum question posed to the student body. We encourage all students to read the referendum over, reach a decision, and vote to make their decision known.
May 3 may not be the most ideal date for such a vote, since many students do not have classes on Wednesday, and it is the last day of class. Even so, it is essential that all eligible to vote exercise that right. The vote would be meaningless if only a small portion of the student body turned out—so whether or not you have any other reason to come to campus on May 3, go to a poll site and vote. Even though some may be frustrated due to the number of elections this spring, we cannot stress enough that this vote should not be mindlessly disregarded.
The referendum itself contends that student input was not sought before the new directions on alcohol and greek life were announced. A clear and resounding yes-vote would definitely send a message standing behind this and showing that students are interested in participating in policy making discussions. On the other hand, a lack of participation sends the opposite message: that the student body may not care enough to even deserve input on changes in campus policy.
While some might try to dismiss the vote as meaningless, since the text of the referendum may be seen as a biased question, we strongly suggest against that line of thought. The referendum should be interpreted as a message, one that either the student body stands behind or one that it does not. Either way, the outcome of the vote should not be written off by any party, regardless of whether they agree or disagree with the vote.
If you do not know enough about the issue, do some research on it. While we all have end of the semester commitments, take some time to do the reading, and ask questions if you need them answered. Any democracy can only work if voters are informed and participate and the result is not simply dismissed.
