The primary election for the East Lansing City Council is Tuesday and MSU students spending the summer in town should head to the polls to be heard.

East Lansing was built around the university, so the city’s essence is college students. It makes sense for those students to voice their concerns about how the city should be run.

There are two open seats this year, which currently belong to Bill Sharp and Mayor Pro Tem Beth Schwarze. The primary will narrow the race to four candidates. Sharp is running for re-election, but Schwarze is not.

Among the eight candidates is 2001 MSU graduate Shane Waller and Matthew Mitroka, a geography graduate student.

Candidates coming from the university should interest students. For those concerned with MSU-East Lansing relations, MSU students would most likely fit the bill.

With the majority of students away for the summer, student representation at the polls in August is that much more important.

Also, as part of the community, local government affects students enormously, from trash removal policies to local noise ordinances. Instead of just complaining about city regulations, students will have the opportunity to affect change come Tuesday.