Tom Braslavsky, a freshman and Hatchet columnist, conducts an experiment to see just how hard it would have been to get signatures to earn a spot on the SA election ballot.
A signature requirement does not necessarily keep out joke candidates, but it definitely keeps out lazy candidates. If you are just running as a joke, but are also a committed candidate, you can easily get all the necessary signatures over a few days. However, a signature requirement provides a deterrent to potential candidates who do not actually want to work for their place on the ballot alongside serious candidates.