Every year, when the time comes to elect the new student officers, few students participate in this democratic activity.

Fewer than 700 students actually voted in the student election last year. This means the whole population of more than 10,000 students let seven percent of it decided the fate of its government.

Perhaps the reason for such nonchalance and apathy is that the hope in students has died. Students think their words do not count anymore hence, their votes do not matter.

Or perhaps students do not understand the importance and the role of the student government within the student body.

The Associated Student Government is the students’ representatives in college-wide, district-wide and state-wide committee meetings and even nation-wide committee meetings.

It meets up with these committees to “develop policies and/or procedures having or expected to have a significant effect on the students,” according to the most recent San Jose City College constitution bylaws.

Not many students know that the ASG president can have a say in grading policies, courses or programs that should be initiated or discontinued, student services planning and budget development and “other district or college policy, procedure, or related matter that … will have a significant effect on students.”

This is why students should care and, therefore, should vote.

You only have to spend two minutes online to click the name of person whom you believe you can trust with $50,000 student fee money or whom you think can speak up for you, represent you. Voting is the cornerstone of democracy.