While student leadership plays a role in representing the student body, many students choose not to participate in elections. Student voter turnout in CUESA elections remains low, raising questions about student engagement and awareness on campus. Conversations with a current CUESA executive, a former member, and a general student suggest that lack of time, limited awareness, and low perceived impact all contribute to voter apathy.
“I haven’t personally been impacted by a student election, so I don’t feel motivated to vote,” said Taylor Hansen, a Bachelor of Arts student in psychology with a sociology minor. She added that she didn’t vote in the most recent election due to competing priorities: “I don’t have enough time between studying, working, and supporting my life.” Although she acknowledged that information about CUESA is available online, she doesn’t actively seek it out.
From within the organization, CUESA executives emphasize the importance of student participation. Zoe Mashingaidze, the 2025-2026 Vice President of Finance for CUESA, said she voted because she believes elections are essential: “It’s important to put good people in positions of power who have the best interests of the student body.”.
Mashingaidze acknowledged that low turnout is often due to limited student involvement on campus: “A lot of students come to campus, go to class, and leave; they don’t have time for anything else.” She noted that CUESA is working to improve engagement through new events, clearer policies, and increased outreach.
A former CUESA Science Representative , Khushraj (“Khushi”), also pointed to structural challenges within student elections. While she believes elections are important because they determine who governs the student body, she noted that limited candidate options can discourage participation. “There are often very few options, sometimes only one person running for a position,” she said. She added that while there have been improvements in organization and programming, a lack of competition in elections remains a concern.
Students suggested that increasing awareness, improving communication, and even offering incentives could encourage higher turnout. Some students emphasized the importance of making the impact of student leadership more visible. Hansen noted that CUESA is already visible but, like many students, “I have stuff that I need to do.”
Ultimately, increasing voter turnout in CUESA elections may depend on bridging the gap between student life and student governance. Until students feel that their vote has a meaningful impact, many may continue to opt out of the process.
