Let the royal elections begin.

Homecoming is underway on the campus of ETSU. A classic American tradition, homecoming beckons the freshest undergrad as well as the most seasoned alumnus to take part in commemorating one’s collegiate home. There’s plenty of traditions that go into homecoming, but the celebration would be incomplete without the student-led election of a homecoming king and queen.

The Student Government Association has been fielding the correspondence of candidate applications for the 2017 homecoming court. From Oct. 4-5, the candidates will be campaigning at ETSU’s Borchuck Plaza, ampitheater and Cave patio. The voting process will begin electronically on Friday, Oct. 6 at 12 a.m.

“The popular student vote counts for 70 percent of the process,” said SGA Secretary of State Emily Assenmacher. “In the beginning…candidates turned in essays and resumes which are judged by faculty and staff. Their vote counts for thirty percent of the vote.”

The student vote weighs more heavily than the judges’, so if you have a king and queen in mind, remember to cast your vote before 11:59 p.m. on Oct. 6.

If this is your first time voting for a homecoming king and queen, or if you’re like me and never thoroughly analyzed what the necessary components of an ideal regal courtly duo might be, you may have trouble identifying exactly what and whom to look for in a homecoming candidate.

“When voting as a student, many students process who they want to represent the school and who is a representation of what ETSU stands for…They take into account who has gone out of their way to meet them or who is accepting of those within the ETSU community,” Assenmacher said.

With this statement in mind, each and every student has the opportunity to take part in the royal tradition by casting his or her vote for the 2017 homecoming court. The crown will be announced at the game Saturday.