This week, 37 students will be running for 24 seats in an unusually contested set of Student Union elections. Three constitutional amendments and half the seats in SU Senate and Treasury will be up for a campus-wide online vote. Elections will take place from Tuesday, Nov. 1 at 8 a.m. until Wednesday, Nov. 2 at 5 p.m.

This week, students will have the opportunity to vote on a variety of constitutional amendments for Student Union. These amendments need a two-thirds majority to pass. The issues are important, and it is important for students to be aware of the potential campus-wide consequences of the votes.

More than two dozen students are vying for seven abandoned Student Union spots—a notable increase in interest in seats historically given to write-in candidates. Thirteen students applied last week for the one open spot in SU Treasury, and 12 applied for the two open Arts & Sciences seats in SU Senate.

For the first time in several years, Freshman Class Council elections are heavily contested. There are more than 20 students running for only five positions, and every slate is campaigning heavily. Contested elections are such a rarity at Washington University that when they do come around, it’s refreshing.

Students signed up in larger numbers this spring to run for Student Union Treasury and Senate, with many taking motivation from the fallout over Treasury’s vote to fund a panel featuring Bristol Palin. The majority of the candidates are coming from outside SU. The influx of candidates has made this spring’s elections much more competitive than normal.

It’s that time of year again. Student Union elections are starting up. Every year we write an editorial around this time encouraging students to help ensure that student government elections are competitive enough to be truly representative of the student body by running for office. Most years, we’ve been disappointed. So this year, we’ve decided to tell you exactly who we think should create an executive slate.

During the midterm elections, Republicans criticized Democrats for ignoring America and promised the electorate that they would listen to their opinions. However, Republican actions in the lame duck session on the START treaty, Don’t Ask Don’t Tell and the Bush tax cuts, show that they care more about scoring political points against President Obama than what the American people think.

Student elections remain a pertinent topic every year: When they come around, either an outburst of political fervor results, or people just don’t care. Regrettably, this year has leaned towards the latter.

The hype of 2008 is officially dead. The faddish adulation of Obama, which promised to permanently draw millions of disengaged, apathetic young voters into the political process, has collapsed in the death throes of 2010’s low turnout.

So why not end the vicious cycle and get rid of politicians altogether? Let’s do the sensible thing and vote for the Totalitarian Robot Regime in 2012.