Ah, election season. The atmosphere and energy surrounding the ASUC elections pale in comparison to those of any school election I have yet lived through, and for good reason. Qualified candidates scatter themselves across campus, asking for votes and explaining their platforms to the lucky few of us plucked from the crowd of students making their way to class.

If I were to tell one of these candidates that I am a disinterested voter, I may get a look of shock or dismay. Often, the word “disinterested” is confused with its similar-sounding relative “uninterested.” Both are often taken to mean an unengaged person or someone who just doesn’t care. However, while those descriptions represent someone who is uninterested, “disinterested” means nonbiased. Where an uninterested voter would be someone who does not care about the elections, a disinterested voter would be one who is interested but does not align him or herself with a certain political party or organization. Confusion over the two terms may stem from the fact that “disinterested” used to mean what “uninterested” means today. However, in terms of the current definitions of the words, I am a disinterested voter all the way. Uninterested? Never.