This year’s presidential election at City High for the class of 2018 has contained multiple deviations from the usual election, just like in the last national presidential election.

Patrick McMillan ‘18 was planning on running for vice president this year, but he found out that students must come to certain number of meetings in order to run for the position. This issue has been elevating in popularity-especially on Twitter.

Twitter also played a large role in the last national election campaign-especially Donald Trump’s, where it was often used as a weapon against his opponents in the election season. Now with Trump as president, students are emulating his pugnacious tweets.

“[Trump’s] use of media is certainly an inspiration for my my tweets.” said Tony Morphew ‘19, an avid anti-student senate advocate. “Trump’s victory – surprising to us all – shows, use of semantics can be really helpful in spreading a message.”

Morphew ‘19 and other students have been using hashtags such as #draintheswamp and #lockherup at vice president candidate Samantha Titus ‘18.

“I can see why people would use #draintheswamp to promote me,” said McMillan ‘18. “However, when it comes to direct attacks on opponents with phrases like #lockherup, that is where I draw the line. There should absolutely no personal attacks on fellow students running.”

Nevertheless, the attacks continue on social media. One student has created an anonymous Twitter account @city_inquirer and has drawn interest from many students. The Inquirer does not feel like its Trump-esque message would be spread as effectively from a personal account.

“I made it anonymous to gain publicity.” said the Inquirer. “If people don’t know who it is, they’re gonna start asking each other if they know, and it just keeps growing.”

“Drain The Swamp” and “Lock [Hillary] Up” were two keystones in Trump’s campaign, but McMillan believes that there aren’t other similarities between his and Trump’s campaign.

“I can see how some could make that comparison, as Samantha is a longtime member of the Student Senate and I am a relative outsider.” said McMillan 18. “However, I am almost nothing like Donald Trump. Anybody who knows me knows that I am not some kind of demagogue.”

Morphew ‘19 agrees.

“I think some similarities could be seen, not really on policy, more on the insider versus outsider dynamic.”

Even though Titus ‘18 has been receiving end of most of the aggressive tweets, she believes McMillan ‘18 should be allowed to run and that there have been benefits from this debate.

“I think that Patrick should be able to run. He does have a lot of good ideas.” said Titus ‘18. “It makes me happy that there have been more people going to Student Senate because they want to know more about what we do.”

Witt Harberts ‘18 and over 300 other students have signed a petition asking Principal Bacon to allow McMillan ‘18 to run.

“It’s our representation of our class and I think that’s important to everybody.” said Harberts ‘18. “I think Mr. Bacon understands [our position] and hopefully he decides that we are right.”

Morphew ‘19 not only is certain that McMillan ‘18 will be able to run, but he also hopes that there will be more transparency and fairness from student senate.

Ultimately, Student Senate will not be making the final decision. During the Student Senate meeting on March 29th, Principal Bacon will be delivering the verdict for this dispute.

“I’m a bit frustrated that [Principal Bacon] is making the final decision since it is a Student Senate constitution issue,” Natalie Holmes ‘17, a four year member of Student Senate said. “[Student Senate] voted on the rule and already approves the constitution the way it is.”