Student Government election polls opened at 8 p.m. on Monday, and that means it’s time for the Technician editorial board to make our endorsements. The Technician editorial board will endorse candidates for student body president, student body vice president, student senate president and student body treasurer.
Student body president and vice president:
We endorse Chris Becker and Kelly Elder. The Becker and Elder ticket demonstrates great potential, especially in regard to promoting inclusiveness amongst the student body. Becker already represents upward of 12,000 students as president of both CHASS Council and the Inter-Residence Council. Becker was one of two people to propose fee recommendations to the fee review committee this year. This is the first time that student groups outside of Student Government have made serious effort at fee recommendations.
Additionally, Elder has been one of the most active senators in Student Government this year. She has sponsored some of the most influential legislation passed in the last year, such as the Social Justice Mini-Grant and the Indigenous Peoples Day Act.
At the Diversity Debate hosted by the Office for Institutional Equity and Diversity, Becker said he was “proudly a feminist,” and that solving gender inequality starts with getting men to be proud about being feminists. Elder has also made strides to create dialogue concerning ending gender inequality on campus through working with Greek life to combat sexual assault, an effort physically manifested in her column published in the Washington Post that detailed her experiences fighting gender inequality.
We believe Becker and Elder will most effectively bring about beneficial and necessary change to campus.
Student body treasurer:
Karli Moore openly expressed her progressivism in the debate hosted by the OIED. Moore opened the Student Body Treasurer debate by saying, “I identify as she/her,” and by explaining that she “wants to work to help authentic voices come through.” Moore has ample experience in Student Government sponsoring legislation and working on the appropriations committee.
Moore has worked to sponsor the Social Justice Mini-Grant and the Indigenous Peoples Day Act, which will change Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples Day. Moore would use her position as Treasurer to encourage financial literacy. This would promote a more inclusive university in regard to class and socioeconomic status.
Student senate president:
Zack King’s experience sponsoring legislation and his role as the chair of the appropriations committee make him more qualified for the position of student senate president than his competitor. King has sponsored the Indigenous Peoples Day Act, the Appropriations Reform Act and the Indoor E-cig Ban Act.
King also is working with NARAL in sponsoring the Reproductive Health Care and Counseling Fair Choice Act to end the automatic referral of NC State patients to the politically motivated Crisis Pregnancy Centers, which actively discourage abortions. Each of these bills work to make the univeristy more inclusive and safe for NC State students. As Student Senate President, he will continue to support bills that continue this work.
To cast your vote, visit getinvolved.ncsu.edu. Polls close at 8 p.m. today.
