Photo Illustration by Michael Uribes / The Collegian

The Collegian staff expresses its opinion about the presidential candidates

Thursday afternoon, the election for Associated Students, Inc. (ASI) mercifully came to a close. At long last, the political grandstanding, negative campaigning and flyer-filled walls are at an end. One question remains on students’ minds: Who did you vote for? Here at The Collegian, we’ve been asking the same question. In the spirit of the elections, we took a tally of some of The Collegian staff who voted. The Collegian staff focused on the primary race for ASI president.

In what has been a particularly polarizing debate, one candidate proved to be the stand out favorite. Here are the results: Pedro Ramirez won with six votes, Cole Rojewski came in second with three and Cody Madsen garnered one. Alexandra Andreotti did not receive any votes.

Seeing as the election has already passed, it makes no sense to give an endorsement to a candidate ”” it would have no effect on the electorate. However, the debate that takes place after any election is often more intriguing. Who did you vote for? Why?

Most students have this informal debate. Writers for The Collegian are no exception. What follows is a biography of the candidate followed by reasons why those who voted for him or her did so.

Pedro Ramirez:

The 21-year-old double major in political science and agricultural economics, was selected by The Collegian staff as the winner because he represents a shift in ASI’s political ideology. His aggressive stance on transparency in repairing an image that has been marred by a lack of communication is one the students need.

His campaign has been grassroots, and many students appear to relate to him. Ramirez has stated that ASI has failed to represent Fresno State students, and he plans to change this. In order to make this a tangible goal, however, Ramirez will have to work to get the students to believe in ASI once again.

Cole Rojewski:

The Collegian voted the 21-year-old political science major runner up. Here’s why. In his interview with The Collegian, he gave this reply to how he would fight fee increases: “What we can do is put caps on [fee] increases. That’s why I am a huge supporter of the student reductions act. That would give a 180-day waiting period before they can be implemented.” The other candidates gave vague answers about supporting protestors and talking to federal legislators, when, in reality, those are things one can do out of office. Rojewski had the most specific plan to fix Fresno State’s problems, which included capping fee increases and boldly stating that he would invite Mayor Ashley Swearengin to walk with him down Bulldog Lane at nighttime to bring awareness about the crime problem.

Cody Madsen:

The Collegian believed that Cody Madsen would bridge the gap between ASI and the student population. The Collegian also felt that he would be the type of leader who would genuinely listen to student concerns and cross paths on the issues of students concern ”” fee increases, parking and the Shared Governance model. Madsen understands ASI’s biggest failing because of his current position as Senator for resident affairs. “There’s a disconnect between what students want and need, and how the administration acts to what they think students want and need,” Madsen said. That disconnect, will not be reattached unless a student is elected as ASI president, rather than a bureaucrat, politician and or activist.

Alexandra Andreotti:

There were no votes from The Collegian for current Vice President of Finance Alex Andreotti. Andreotti has proven herself to be knowledgeable about the inner workings of ASI. But, if the debate last week in the Free Speech Area is any indication of her standing with the student populace, then there may be a disconnect.

Andreotti’s experience in student government, perhaps, makes her the frontrunner in the race. However, the business administration major has been involved with ASI for the past two years and is one of the few remaining members of ASI that served during two controversy-filled administrations. And although experience in office is a plus, Andreotti has had ample time to expand her influence on campus. Fresno State’s centennial president should be a new face. Additionally, the new president should not shy away from the public. Looking forward, visibility and interaction with the student body will be important for next year’s president.

With our vote’s casts, we hope students took the time to research each of the candidates and vote this week. Now is the time for student voices to be heard.