After weeks of meetings and paperwork, it is time for Student Government candidates to promote themselves to the student body to win votes.

But does all the hard work pay off?

“Last year we had a record of 25.25 percent voter turnout,” said Chris Cameron, Director of Danna Center and Student Activities. “In speaking with other universities’ SGA advisers, most schools are around just 10 percent.”

Leigh Thorpe, SGA commissioner of elections, says she believes that the voter turnout all depends on the promotion of the election.

“The only way many students will vote is to actually physically walk up to them and walk them over to the voting booths,” Thorpe said.

Cameron said that in the 2001-2002 election, SGA switched from booths for each college to a single polling location outside of the Danna Center.

“We hoped, and were proven correctly, that it’s more likely students will vote if they do not have to search for their polling location,” Cameron said. “Plus students are friends across colleges.”

Many students say they do not feel that they are informed enough about the election to vote.

“I feel that voting is arbitrary. I don’t feel that I have enough information to vote, so if I did vote, I would just be picking a random name on the ballot,” said Emily Pervel, history junior.

“I don’t really know what SGA does and how what they do effects student life, so when it comes to voting I don’t know how the candidates can help the student body,” said Craig Canizaro, political science junior.

Thorpe said she believes that some of the voting problem at Loyola stems from the fact that it is a large commuter school.

“Most of the same people are involved in different activities around campus so those who are not involved don’t really know what is going on,” Thorpe said.

“Things are very easy to miss around here, especially when you are a commuter and you go straight to your classes and leave right after.”

Amanda Roudolfich, communications junior, concurs.

“As a commuter, I feel very out of the loop with school activities,” she said.

Thorpe said that there is an election debate for the students to get to know the candidates, but the turnout is small.

“I didn’t even know there was a debate.” Pervel said, “I have been here for three years.”

Canizaro said that he would like to know why electing one person over the other would differently affect the student body.

“I saw a flyer today that mentioned that the candidate was going to promote school spirit and raise Jesuit values, but my question is, how are they going to do that?” he said.

Thorpe said that SGA is working hard this year to better promote the debates and the elections so that more students would want to vote.

“We are trying to get a broadcast journalism student to tape the debate, so that way we can put it on Loyola television,” Thorpe said.

She agreed that it is up to SGA to better inform the students on the candidates and the election

“If you don’t know the people that are running then you are not going to want to vote,” Thorpe continued.

Roudolfich said that she would like to see something in the peace quad during the window.

“The candidates need to make themselves known,” she said. “Sometimes flyers and campus e-mails are just not enough information.”

“I want to know what the candidates are going to do for the student body so that I feel like I have a reason to participate in the election,” she said.

“It seems that no one really knows what is going on and what everyone is all about. I think they need to definitely make the debates more known,” Pervel said.

Canizaro said that before SGA promotes the elections, it needs to inform the students about the organization’s actual power.

“What does SGA have control over that can affect the students one way or another?” Canizaro asked.

Thorpe said that they are working on getting SGA to talk more about the elections.

“Voice makes decision,” she said.

Colin Williams, classical studies junior, looks at the signs in front of the library.