Brent Keller, barring an amazing write-in campaign for Mickey Mouse, is a shoe-in for 7th Ward alderman.

It’s great that a student is running for City Council, but why is he our only choice? The 7th Ward encompasses Grant and Stevenson Halls, as well as the apartments on the north end of campus, west of Annie Glidden Road. The university is a large part of the city, its footprint reaching three of the seven wards. It only makes sense for the university to be represented. Many of the previous council members have worked or studied at NIU. Other than Keller, two other candidates are university employees: Bertrand Simpson Jr., 1st Ward, and Melinda Kay Shelton, 3rd Ward.

Keller may be qualified. He’s taken part in multiple political campaigns in Illinois. He has attended city council meetings to speak out against issues like the 50-cent draft ordinance.

The issue with Keller as the only candidate in the 7th Ward is not a lack of qualifications, but a lack of candidates.

The city government affects the university. Over the last year, City Council has passed the smoking ban and doubled the minimum price of alcohol. The city brokers deals to bring in new businesses. Any student who likes to do anything fun has a vested interest in at least speaking up in the City Council.

Students already show little interest in campus politics. Voter turnout is low and seats in student government go uncontested. The last SA executive election featured one contested position out of eight. It is sad to see this apathetic trend spread to the city.

DeKalb aldermen are paid $6,000 a year. Keller obviously isn’t running for the money. It’s not surprising he wants to keep his job as director of mass transit for the SA. Students can still be a presence at City Council meetings, whether he wins or not. Even if NIU students are not faces on council, we can still be faces in the crowd.