Editor’s note: Each slate for GSB President/Vice President was asked to write a column for the Daily. This is the second of three.

Why should you vote for Russ Graves and Dave Stout? We’re complete outsiders to the Government of the Student Body. We don’t have all sorts of contacts in the state Legislature.

We don’t have voter drives and other stuff to brag about.We’re just regular students.ÿ

Students like you.

Students like the person sitting next to you in class as you’re reading the Daily.

And students like that person on the other side filling out the crossword puzzle.

That’s why you should vote for us.

A lot of students have no idea what GSB is.

We got quite a few blank stares while collecting signatures around campus in my hat, people asking, “What’s GSB?”

It was mostly younger students, but even some juniors and seniors didn’t know. “GSB?” they said.

“Do they really do anything other than just hand out money to clubs?”ÿ

The fact is, most students can’t name the GSB president, have never talked to any of their senators and see GSB as the campus piggy bank.

If you’re curious about how bad it is, ask yourself and your friends to name the current GSB president.

For years, we’ve listened to GSB presidential candidates talk about how they need to make GSB relevant to the students, improve student activism and a load of other great-sounding promises.

And every year, GSB does the same things.

This is where having outsiders in office comes in.

We represent regular students. The way to make GSB relevant to students isn’t to have some sort of committee plan events. The way to make GSB relevant is to bring GSB to you, the students.ÿ

The way to do this is to be where students are.

It’s one thing to say “Yeah, we’re available. Drop by the back corner of the East Office Space of the basement of the Memorial Union whenever you have time — we should be here.”ÿ

It’s a completely different thing to say “Yeah, we’re available. We’ll be out by the Hub in the morning and on Central Campus after lunch.”

The difference is being where students are. If you have to go way out of your way to find us, you probably won’t.

But, if we’re out where you are, then stopping by for five minutes and talking about your concerns will be a lot easier.

ÿWe know what you are wondering: “Why should we change GSB if it is already running effectively?”

The answer is that we shouldn’t change the way GSB operates —only the way it represents itself.

The Government of the Student Body has done a lot, including funding clubs and other projects — and sometimes it even tries to protect student interests.

The problem is that GSB would be even better if people knew what they were doing.

It is student money they dish out to various groups and projects around campus, and it should be students who know where the money goes and who are given a real chance to voice their input.

ÿThe other thing that we bring is a bit of fun. GSB does do quite a bit of serious stuff, but it’s Government of the Student Body.

You may have seen the multicolored hat around. It’s slightly wacky — as are we.

Those who know Russ know that, while we can certainly get things done, we’re very much interested in having a good time while we’re doing it.

Those who have been on Russ’ Moonlight Express bus know we like to have fun while we’re working.

With both Russ and Dave you will finally have students to come to if you need something from GSB. We are easy to find and do tend to stick out in a crowd.

So, vote early, vote often, vote Russ Graves and Dave Stout for GSB executives.