Dear Harriton,

This Wednesday and Thursday are Student Council primary elections, and I want you – yes, you – to reconsider the way you vote. Get informed and re-watch the candidates’ videos. Consider platforms, not popularity; vision, not varsity level; and experience, not ease of recognition. Understand what each position demands of its holder. Then, and only then, vote.

As a senior, I am not eligible to vote in this year’s election, but I draw on my experience of the past three years to state that many Rams do vote based on superficial aspects. It’s common to hear a junior proclaiming his vote for his best friend or a freshman telling everyone to vote for her basketball captain, but far less frequent to hear anyone supporting a candidate based on his or her ideas and experience.

I think the main reason for this “shallow vote,” aside from the very high-school desire to support your friends, is that people view elections as a contest for an unimportant position. What does Student Council do aside from organizing Mr. Harriton and running the announcements? How much power do officers really wield? And why bother voting for candidates who often make ridiculous promises they won’t keep?

The goals and effectiveness of Student Council, as well as the accountability (or not) of candidates, would be enough material for several more articles. (I’d welcome your opinions, especially from current Student Council officers.) But not understanding or believing in your government is exactly why you have to vote in an intelligent, informed way. You have the power to put in place officers that will communicate Student Council’s mission, represent your desires for Harriton, and possibly reshape Council’s power altogether.

I find the superficial nature of Harriton voting to be concerning, not only because we’re giving up our power to change Council but also because most of us are potential voters in “real-world” government. In the Pennsylvania primaries on April 26, many seniors will be eligible to vote for presidential nominees. On November 8, even more Harriton students will be eligible to vote for the future president of the United States. If we are fostering a school culture where popularity is the key selector of officers, it is a slippery slope to an 18-year-old voter who doesn’t do his or her research and, again, loses the opportunity to gain representation.

Honestly, Harriton, would it really hurt so much to care a bit more? We all have the capability to consider election issues and remove popularity from the equation. But high school elections at the moment are teaching us that we don’t need to take that step of thought and research. Sure, our Student Council may not seem powerful, and you may simply want your best friend to win, but I believe we can do better. Acknowledging that candidates have real goals and that voting is our primary way to give a shout-out to Council is the first step to go beyond our comfort zone and try something new – try to think, try to consider issues, try to view people as more than their varsity level, club participation, or number of retweets.

When you vote on March 30 and 31, and again during the general elections, help stop this alarming behavior of carelessness. Within the shout of Harriton’s many voices, you deserve to have yours heard, and heard for the most intelligent reasons.

Sincerely,

Victoria Alfred-Levow