When major television networks predicted that Barack Obama would win on election night last fall, students erupted with joy on the UW campus.

For many of us, it was our first presidential election. Tears were shed. And although for some it may have been of frustration, this was an election that will remain in our hearts and minds for many years to come.

But the 2009 election probably won’t.

As students, many of us are novice voters, and with each year and each new voter’s pamphlet, new lessons are learned. Although this fall brings about some less radical changes, the wealth of nonpartisan city officials and mayoral candidates brings about a whole new dimension of the voting process — actually forming opinions about what issues matter to you. Instead of relying on the boundaries of a specific political party — be it Democrat, Republican, Socialist or Green — we are forced to form opinions about the candidate we support.

Ideally, the partisan system creates guidelines based on fundamental differences in political ideologies. However, it sometimes acts as the only factor in a person’s decision. By identifying themselves as a steadfast Democrat or Republican, they limit themselves to voting for a candidate that identifies with the same label, blocking out their view of what really matters — the issues and how each candidate wants to tackle them.

This year we have two mayoral candidates for Seattle: Mike McGinn and Joe Mallahan.

McGinn, a UW alumnus, seems to base his campaign around community gain. He plans to connect Seattle suburbs with the new light-rail lines in an attempt to reduce traffic congestion and share city resources with Seattle schools to reduce overhead. In addition to this, he plans to create an initiative much like Roosevelt’s Civilian Conservation Corps to work on improving parks and neighborhoods. This, along with his adamant opposition to the waterfront tunnel and its consequent tax increases, makes him a very appealing candidate.

However, Mallahan proves to be a strong opponent. With his emphasis on public safety and stability, he focuses on improvement of senior services to ensure elderly citizens quality of life, as well as the enlargement of the Seattle Police gang unit to help stop youth violence.

So folks, it’s time to buckle down. What issues are really important to you? It’s time to look beyond the mindset of our parents and our peers and form our own opinions. For the voters of Seattle, especially the novice voters — as many students are — the mayoral election this year forces us to make choices that, in the past, we have merely let predetermined labels dictate. Instead of voting Democrat or Republican, we vote for the actual issues at hand. This year’s election may not be as exciting as last year’s, but without a doubt, it holds the key to more-informed voting.

Reach columnist Emily McFadden at opinion@dailyuw.com.