A long road brought Stefano Saltalamacchia to the Associated Students of the University of Arizona presidential ballot, but we’re glad he landed here.

His opponent may have more experience in ASUA, but Saltalamacchia brings an air of leadership and a refreshing perspective to a student body organization that has grown increasingly insular over the years.

Saltalamacchia’s platform is centered on diversity and inclusion—in ASUA, in the campus’ physical spaces, in the curriculum and in the community as a whole. This platform is nothing new. It’s a rallying cry we hear echoed from year to year from candidate to candidate—a platform that seems to be repeated across this year’s crop of candidates more than ever.

The difference this year, when Saltalamacchia says he will fight for the inclusion of every student, we believe him. He possesses the passion, raw emotion and the leadership capabilities to make a real change in the lives of UA students, who feel unrepresented and left behind by their student leaders.

Saltalamacchia said it best himself: “There’s a power in diversity. There’s a power with sitting a bunch of people from multiple pockets of campus around the table, and the only way that we can do that is opening the doors and welcoming them.”

We’re with SALT.

Voting for ASUA general elections starts Tuesday, Feb. 28 at 8 a.m. and ends Wednesday March 1 at 8 p.m. Results will be announced Thursday, March 2 in the Student Union Memorial Center at 7 p.m. You can vote online here.

Editorials are determined by the Daily Wildcat Opinions Board and are written by its members. They are Editor-in-chief Sam Gross, Managing Editor Chastity Laskey, Digital Managing Editor Courtney Talak, Arts Editor Jamie Verwys and Opinions Editor Scott Felix.