Voting for the 2016 Student Government Association executive council will take place April 19 from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. SGA senator elections are April 21, 8 a.m. until 5 p.m.
Eight students successfully petitioned for their executive office candidacy, and SGA campaigning officially began Thursday, April 7.
Unlike 2015, the SGA executive positions each have two possible candidates. In 2015, the vice president and secretary positions had just one candidate; both ran unopposed.
For SGA president, the 2015-2016 SGA president, Bobby Adams, is running, along with an SGA Supreme Court justice Alex Martin. SGA treasurer Miranda Stoltz and secretary of programming Elliot Mitzelfeld are campaigning to become the vice president for the 2016-2017 academic year. La’Ken Brazzle, the secretary of communications, and Rita Ramsey, a freshman senator, are in the running to become the SGA secretary. Two freshmen senators Logan Smith and Elizabeth Webb are running against each other for the 2016-2017 treasurer position.
These candidates are allowed 12 days to campaign before the voting begins. Each candidate is limited to spending $750 on his or her campaign according to SGA election rules.
Two groups have formed for the candidacy. “Take Back SGA” is a campaign group composed of the candidates Martin, Stoltz, Ramsey and Smith. The “Just 4 Students” group includes Adams, Mitzelfeld, Brazzle and Webb.
Martin said, “When I decided to run for president, I knew I wanted to serve with people who had the same vision as me.”
According to the “Take Back SGA” Facebook page, Martin, Stoltz, Ramsey and Smith will work toward creating an SGA that represents what the current student population wants, especially on the parking initiative. The page encourages students to vote in order to “make your voice heard.”
Adams, the current SGA president, said his current team has focused on the “student” side of student government and less on the “government” side. Adams said his motivation for the campaign was the students.
Students may find more information about each group of candidates, along with each individual, on Facebook, Twitter and around campus. All candidates will be very active on campus until the day of voting. Candidates will start explaining their views on different controversial topics on campus, such as gun laws and new construction plans for the university during the campaign process.
According to March’s SGA meeting minutes, the executive council has advised every candidate to keep his or her campaign clean and professional.
Savannah Savage, the current SGA secretary, wrote in the SGA minutes, “Campaigning can either be good for you or bad for you. Either way it represents SGA as a whole on how you decide to act. Let’s make it good for everyone. Elections should be a very positive PR event for SGA,” said Savage.
The candidates elected will serve in their position for a full year.
Emily McDonald, the 2014-2015 SGA president, said, “Although many times students feel bombarded with the campaigning and voting process, I encourage all students to take this process seriously, and please be understanding of the candidates and their supporters.You have the power to elect leaders to represent and hear your ideas and concerns. Do not take this responsibility lightly,” said McDonald.
Tech students may vote Tuesday, April 19 from any device by logging in to the SGA vote server with their T-numbers and PIN numbers.
