OUR OPINION: Students should remain ethical while campaigning and respect students.

After much planning and preparations by candidates, campaigning for Student Government positions began Tuesday.

Andrew Tucker, chairman of the Elections Commission said no violations had been reported in the first two days of campaigning, which is an improvement from the last couple of years. Offenses that have occurred in the past,  such as vandalizing campaign signs, avoiding bribing or coercing voters, have not happened. This is commendable, and candidates should strive to have a perfect record this campaign season.

It is important to stay ethical because one’s campaign reflects how the candidate will behave in office. Candidates need to take this opportunity and use it to their full advantage without having to bend the rules set for them.

One of the most severe campaign violations is overspending. Candidates should make sure this does not happen by reporting spending and receipts to the Elections Committee.

Students should report violations to the Student Government office in writing.

In addition to following the rules, candidates should also make their campaigns about the issues. It should not be a competition in which winner is the one who has the most signs or flyers.

Candidates for office should not harass students. Though it may seem like an effective way to get one’s name out to voters, students are busy and must walk through public areas, such as the Brickyard, and don’t want to be pursued. Though it is all right to approach students, don’t be obstinate, and know when to take a hint.

One way to catch students’ attention is to find better ways to campaign. Be creative while still focusing on the issues at hand. It is also important make campaign promises one can keep. It is easy to come up with extravagant ideas, but the best leaders are those who put words into action.

For instance, John Mickey, a senior in business administration, sat on a couch in the Brickyard and students approached him and talked to him about the issues during his campaign for student body president last year.

It’s not just up to candidates to attract voters. It is also up to the students to do their research and analyze the platforms of each candidate. Because it is difficult for candidates to reach every single students, check out Technician and technicianonline.com for more information on the candidates on Election Day, March 24.