Ah, yes, it’s that time again. Starting today, SMU students can log on to their laptops and vote for who they’d like to see represent the student body.

In case you’re a little confused or troubled, Ed Board is here to help you out. We interviewed all of the candidates and took a vote on who we think would represent the students best. The following endorsements are the results of a majority vote.

First, we have our pick for president. Liz Healy did a great job leading Student Senate this year, and we’d love to see someone with the right qualifications and experience follow in her footsteps. We decided that current Vice President Taylor Russ fits the bill. Not only does Russ have the experience, but he is willing to work on some key issues next year, like improving communication between student organizations and Senate and increasing security on campus. Russ is willing to listen to the student body, and we think he’ll get things done. That’s why he’s getting our vote.

We have a few strong candidates for vice president, but one stands out among the rest. We think Jonathan Lane is definitely the best man for the job. He might only be a first-year, but Lane knows more about SMU than your average new kid. He’s already extremely involved in various organizations on campus and isn’t afraid to take a stance. Some of Lane’s biggest concerns for next year are making sure the emergency call boxes on campus are working and scrutinizing passive participation. Ed Board thinks Lane would be an active voice for the student body and would be the best candidate for this position.

Ed Board also interviewed Brooks Powell, the only candidate for secretary. It’s unfortunate more students didn’t run for this position, because it is vital to the executive committee. We don’t think Powell will be able to represent the student body on pertinent issues. Ed Board cannot in good conscience endorse this candidate.

While Ed Board realizes that without any other challengers, Powell’s a shoe-in, he’ll be in a very difficult position unless he begins to take a stance on the controversial topics that concern the student body.

Ed Board encourages everyone to not only vote, but vote for the candidates that best represent the student body’s needs.

Student Senate isn’t a popularity contest, so don’t just vote for your friends for the sake of voting for your friends. Take your vote seriously. The senators and student body officers are your liasion to the SMU administration, so be sure to vote for someone who will take that responsibility seriously.

To vote in student body elections, log on to www.smu.edu/elections. The polls open today and voting will last until tomorrow at 7 p.m.