Every Student GovernmentAssociation election period Southern University students are given theopportunity to hear the voices of the candidates vying for their vote at theSGA Election Debate.
“The debate is always importantbecause you get a chance for students who haven’t decided who they’re going tovote for yet to come out and really hear what the people have to say that arerunning for the positions,” said Wayne Haydin, 2003-2004 SGA president. “A lotof campaigns, like mine, really started off with the debate. Before the debatethat night a lot of people didn’t even know I was running. But I knew howimportant it was that I made a statement and that began a snowball effect, allthe way to me winning the election.”
Carmen Rossum who was electedvice president in the 2004-2005 SGA election said the debate really helped her.
“I think it played a veryimportant part. People were able to physically see me and hear me,” she said.”It gave others an opportunity to ask me questions.”
Rossum sees the debate as a wayto see what a candidate is about.
”I think you can really get a nice idea of what the person isplanning on doing for the next semester. The debate is a perfect opportunity tohear the real issues and concerns.”
Keri Harris, a senior politicalscience major from Southfield, Mich said the debate has swayed her vote in thepass.
“Its important to see who standson what issues,” Harris said.
Current SGA president ArthurMonroe who believes the debate can make or break an election.
“You can sway a lot of yourvotes. The students have a chance to see what you are about. They throw a lotof things at you in the debate to see how you are going to react. A lot of thethings they bring up are about things that the students don’t know about you,”Monroe said. “Everything that’s been hiding will come out in the debate. Thecandidates need to get ready. You can be exposed. The black light is going tobe on you. It could indeed affect the outcome of your election, whether it befor good or bad.”
