Last week, the annual student elections for the Undergraduate Student Government (USG) president were held at Ohio State. The two candidates, Jordan Davis and Micah Kamrass, ran fierce campaigns which resulted in narrow victory and record voter turnout. In the end, it was Kamrass who won the support of “the student body” with a total of 8 votes to Davis’ 5 (Write-in candidate “Fart.” finished third with a respectable 3 votes). While the results demonstrate the current deep divide in political ideologies amongst students, many were surprised to learn that neither candidate actually took the time to cast their vote in the election. “I wasn’t exactly sure how to vote. I know I got an email explaining the process, but it looked a little wordy,” explained Davis. Kamrass meanwhile claimed that while he had intended to vote, his roommate had just bought the new maps for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and he “just never got around to it” (although Kamrass did note that he managed to prestige twice during the 48 hour voting window; an accomplishment, he claims, that “is far more rewarding than any USG election”). Both candidates also attributed their lack of electoral enthusiasm to confusion on where each other stood on nearly every issue, and, for that matter, what USG “issues” even are.

Davis and Kamrass were not the only ones who avoided the polls last week. Both of Ohio State’s two main student political organizations refrained from supporting either candidate. In a statement issued to The Lantern, College Republicans, a student group in favor of limited student government, claimed that both candidates stance on the controversial issues of sidewalk chalk and propaganda tee-shirts exposed their socialist agendas. They went on to state that until USG can provide a candidate that either “yells angrily about things” or “is borderline mentally challenged but, like, really sassy”, they will continue their voting boycott. Meanwhile College Democrats, who could only be reached through email, claimed that they “have a legitimate excuse for not voting, but realize that you’re just going to make an Obama joke anyway”. The organization then resumed its normal duties of watching reruns of “The Daily Show” and “Aqua Teen Hunger Force” on Hulu while trying to ignore every Gallop Poll released in the last six months.

While student influence in elections may have been overlooked by some, at least one person on campus recognizes their importance. OSU President Gordon Gee spent a majority of last week encouraging students to get online and vote. “It’s important that students make their voices heard, otherwise the wrong candidate may win” Gee said. “This is a decision that will affect every single one of us, the candidates have already invested a lot of time and it is up to us to make the final call.” When asked which candidate he supported Gee responded, “Well, I like to reserve my judgments until I see the performances- but I’m really rooting against Kate Gosselin.”