Nothing wrong with write-ins

I am writing in response to Tuesday’s editorial, “Disallow Young Trustee write-ins.”

Write-in candidates did not “expose a gaping loophole” in the YT process. Write-in campaigns are authorized by Duke Student Government election bylaw, appropriate in any student-wide election. Therefore, write-ins did not bypass YT process, but followed a procedure clearly outlined in existing DSG policy. However, the issues exposed include the role of the Young Trustee Nominating Committee. And while I commend the hard work of Chair Christine Larson and her committee, I see the flaws in the process.

I hold reservations about YTNC membership and the selecting process. Why is it that freshmen who are ineligible to run for YT because of their lack of institutional knowledge then serve as members of the YTNC? This lack of consistency seriously compromises the process and allows for members who are not well-versed in the YT process to select finalists. Additionally, the student body does not know what members on the committee are thinking when deciding what best makes a Young Trustee. The intent of the YTNC is to “select three finalists worthy of serving on Duke’s Board” but it is still unclear what criteria members use to evaluate candidates and the effect that biases may have had on their decision-making.

Lastly, the editorial cites an unwarranted concern of the campus potentially not knowing other write-in candidates. An obligation for write-in candidates is to educate the campus about their candidacy. Moreover, an easy solution to this concern could be to create a deadline for write-in candidates to declare and/or require them to inform the Election Commission. DSG possesses the infrastructure to include write-ins and address such concerns. And the option of a write-in allows for strong grassroots support.

We, as a student body, currently have a democratic system in which students directly select the YT. We should be given the option to vote for write-in candidates and ultimately decide who we want for YT.

Ubong Akpaninyie

Trinity ‘12