It is hard to imagine ways the nomination and election of the next Student Government Association slate could get worse.
Out of the three potential slates that have expressed interest in leading the student body, we've already discounted one. Our opinion hasn't changed in light of today's nomination convention.
Cardinal Impact, the slate that has been around since Monday's nomination convention, tainted its credibility the day it applied. Cardinal Impact's application packet was returned Monday because some of the 400 signatures gathered looked suspect.
Vague, late answers and displaced responsibility caused irreparable damage to the slate's candidacy.
We've already said it should drop out and we still think that is the best option.
The two remaining slates have a lot of room for improvement, but they can't get worse than Cardinal Impact.
Cardinal Coalition formed after Monday's fallout and submitted its application packet to enter Thursday's open forum.
The group was denied slatehood. One of its members did not qualify to run for the campaign because he has not been a full-time Ball State University student for three semesters. The requirements to run are laid out in the application packets, but the slate apparently did not pay close enough attention.
The slate could not meet minimum, simple requirements, but it admitted its error quickly and says it's working to find a solution.
Another slate, Cardinal Collaboration, formed after Monday's nomination convention and attended Thursday's forum to discuss its slate.
Cardinal Collaboration is the only slate to successfully complete the application requirements to campaign on the first try.
Despite this apparent leg up, the slate does not have a platform.
Platforms focus the energy and goals of the slate and also provide students with an outline of what to expect the slate to try to accomplish.
Both Cardinal Collaboration and Cardinal Coalition have potential to be good slates, but both have work to do.
Cardinal Collaboration needs to assemble a platform - it needs to have some kind of direction for its slate. Cardinal Coalition needs to start paying closer attention to the all rules.
Both need to start listening to students. Representing the students' thoughts and concerns are the purpose of SGA's existence.
This election should prove to be one of the more memorable if for no reason than the sheer unpredictability that surrounded the nomination process.
While it may seem like this is the worst nomination process in history, this could also be the nomination process that elects a historically successful slate.
Get to work.
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