I’ve got a little — story — for ya, Ags!

I was going about my day, stressing about exams, trying to impress a girl and drowning in a pile of work. The usual. But then, none other than Ol’ Rock, the — good — Ag, came to me and told me to check my Instagram feed. Weird thing for him to say, I know.

So, I started scrolling through, and I saw that 5 For Yell had announced their candidacy for Yell Leader. Then, I stumbled across another video for a group called Ag 5 Yell. In all my years in Aggieland, all two of them, I haven’t seen another group garner enough attention to rival 5 For Yell.

Now, because there are two platforms with significant influence, there seems to be a tight race to see which five Aggies will be some of the most visible representatives of Texas A&M. So, it’s important that everyone vote in this election and know the ramifications of voting for each party.

5 For Yell

The position of the Yell Leader began in 1907, back in the Ol’ Army days when we were the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas. Since then, most of our Yell Leaders have been members of the Corps of Cadets.

5 For Yell would continue this tradition. According to its Facebook page, it is “a group of individuals forged by the Corps, voted on by their peers, vetted by their superiors and chosen to represent this university.”

What do these gentlemen bring to the table?

Firstly, they’re the incumbents. Senior Yell Leader candidates Zac Cross and Kipp Knecht have both held yell positions for the last year as junior Yell Leaders. Both have found success in building excitement in Kyle Field, whether in a nail-biting victory against Alabama or with a packed crowd at Midnight Yell.

Secondly, for those who care about keeping the tradition within the Corps, 5 For Yell is the perfect platform since it’s exclusive to cadets. As the keepers of the spirit and the guardians of tradition, the Corps instills A&M’s values into its members. As such, all of the 5 For Yell candidates would be excellent representatives.

Ag 5 Yell

In the history of A&M, only 33 non-regs, or students who aren’t in the Corps, have been elected as Yell Leaders. According to the Yell Leader website, only once has a non-reg served as the Head Yell Leader.

To answer this discrepancy, Ag 5 Yell was born. According to their Instagram page, these gentlemen have the goal of representing the entire student body and providing a platform for anyone to become a Yell Leader.

Why break from tradition and support them?

First of all, the Corps is composed of approximately 2,500 Aggies, while a total of 67,000 students are enrolled at A&M, according to the accountability website. As such, over 96% of current students are non-regs. Ag 5 Yell would help represent the larger student body who doesn’t have a military-esque lifestyle.

Additionally, the last time a non-reg was elected as Yell Leader, Barack Obama was our president. The only time a non-reg was Head Yell Leader was before 9/11. Ag 5 Yell gives non-regs who’ve wanted to represent the 12th Man a shot at their dreams.

Who to support

If you wish to continue the tradition of keeping it in the Corps, then 5 For Yell is the platform for you.

For those who want to make A&M history and elect more non-regs as Yell Leaders, then cast your vote for Ag 5 Yell.

This race will come down to whether the A&M student body wants this tradition to have the same face it’s had for over a century, or if they want a more modern representation of Aggieland. And the great thing about this election is that you don’t even have to just vote for one platform or the other. If there are candidates from both parties you like, you’re more than welcome to put a mix of 5 For Yell and Ag 5 Yell on the ballot!

Regardless of who you support, you need to get out and vote. This election is one of the most pivotal in history, and every voice, every vote counts. So, on Thursday and Friday, don’t forget to beat the ever livin’, ever lovin’, compound, complex, Fightin’ Texas Aggie hell out of the polls.

Caleb Powell is a biomedical engineering junior and opinion editor for The Battalion.