One of the most common complaints students have about government officials is that officials don’t pay attention to students’ needs. One of the most common complaints among government officials is that students don’t care enough about the political process.

Things are a little different in Eau Claire.

Former Student Senators Nate Otto and Mike “Bubba” Steffens are running for positions in the City Council. Otto, a senior, is running for Third District alderman and Steffens, a 1999 graduate, is running for council president.

There are more than 10,000 students who attend the university and there has never been a student on the City Council.

Having a recent graduate and a student running in the election only will improve the way the city is run, regardless if either one of the two is elected.

Their decision to run allows more students an opportunity, and a reason, to get involved in the election process. It also shows the city that students do care about the decisions made, even if most students leave Eau Claire in a short amount of time.

Hopefully, people will be able to look beyond the age of the two candidates and really become involved in this election. It is essential that all candidates receive exposure.

Usually students don’t care what the City Council does until something bad happens. That’s when the students realize they should have voted or taken part in arguments before the council.

It’s hard for young politicians to gain respect, but Otto and Steffens should be commended for trying.There are other candidates who do care about students; what Otto and Steffens do is bring more attention to the city government.

One thing is for sure: Otto and Steffens don’t have to be elected to make an impact. Their presence in the race already has made a difference.