Student voter turnout in Tuesday’s mayoral election was disappointingly low.
Only 2.2 percent of the registered UCLA student population cast ballots at polling stations in De Neve and Rieber.
UCLA’s low turnout may come as little surprise, given the city’s record-low numbers. Only 16 percent of registered Los Angeles voters went to the polls on Tuesday.
As expected, neither leading candidate won a majority of the vote, prolonging the mayoral race and giving those who did not show up to the polls a second chance.
On May 21, there will be a runoff between the two top candidates – city councilman Eric Garcetti, who received the Daily Bruin Editorial Board’s endorsement, and city controller Wendy Greuel.
Local elections impact the student population directly, both during and after their time at UCLA. The mayor has the ability to expand post-graduate job opportunities and oversees development of the city’s public transportation, both issues relevant to students in Westwood.
UCLA students should not allow the opportunity to have a say in the runoff idly slip by, especially given the close margin by which Garcetti led the first election.
Perhaps most visible to students is the current state of Westwood, an area hurt by high rates of business turnover. Both Garcetti and Greuel have ideas – such as an elimination of the gross receipts tax – on how to make Los Angeles more business-friendly.
In interviews with the board, both Garcetti and Greuel addressed ways in which they would strengthen the relationship between the mayor’s office and UCLA.
Greuel discussed connecting students to internship opportunities after graduation and installing an incubator program on campus, with the purpose of sparking business growth.
Garcetti suggested working with the city’s universities on a plan to retain recently graduated engineering students. He also talked about a project, inspired by a UCLA study, which would entail the installment of solar panels on buildings – including at the university – and audits of water use throughout Los Angeles. The end result, he said, would be more jobs and a more energy-efficient city.
We encourage UCLA students to come out in greater numbers for the runoff between Greuel and Garcetti. UCLA’s large population could have a substantial say in city leadership.
To vote in the May 21 election, students must be registered to vote in Los Angeles County. Students can register to vote online at the Los Angeles City Clerk’s website.
Unsigned editorials represent the majority opinion of the editorial board.
Perhaps if the DAILY SCREWIN would write more about the candidates during the TWO MONTH RACE instead of trashing the local grassroots candidate on the last day before the election, or maybe if the Daily Srewin wans’t so slanted. Check this Herd got 26% of the vote with only 1% of the $$$. for LA council district 5 which represents UCLA. Herd spent only 1k and Koretz spent $150,000.00. THAT IS SICK MONEY. The Daily SCREWIN endorsed Paul (Taxman) Koruptz even though he ran on a platform of RAISING TAXES ON EVERYONE including STUDENTS!!! We want lower tuitions not HIGHER TAXES. Please Daily Screwin, endorse candidates that care about students and LOWER TUITIONS. And don’t even try to spin Herd, he was there protesting with us a few yrs ago when we got shafted with 32% and 8% TUITION HIKES.