SGA elections near
Student government prepares for a new year
Election day at Liberty is Wednesday, April 15. On this day, student voters will elect student body president (SBP) and student body vice president (SBVP) for the 2015-2016 academic year.
Re-election — Quincy Thompson hopes to maintain his position. Photo credit: RJ Goodwin
“People will take their office at the end of this semester for the entire year,” Jacob Broadway, Student Government Association (SGA) general counsel, said.
“Effectively, they’ll take office that Monday after Commencement.”
Current SBP Quincy Thompson confirmed his intention to run for re-election. And current Junior Class President Jack Heaphy plans to run with Thompson for SBVP.
Current Student Body Vice President Tanveer Bhatia also plans to run for student body president in April. Bhatia has not yet announced his running mate.
Student body candidates run together in teams, but they are elected individually. Students can vote for a SBP candidate from one team and a SBVP candidate from the other.
The SBP typically manages the election committee and oversees candidate applications. However, due to Thompson’s re-election plans, he transferred that responsibility to the Student Court chief justice.
“That Student Court chief justice will be forming the election committee to finalize all the election rules and then start receiving applications,” Broadway said. “You should see that in the next week or so.”
Once the election rules are finalized, those interested can submit their application for candidacy. Broadway said the election rules are generally the same each year, but the election committee needs to officially re-adopt them for each student body election.
Applicants become qualified candidates if they meet the minimum GPA requirement of 3.0 and have served in SGA for at least two semesters. Student Conduct also reviews each applicant, as applicants who have 12 or more reprimands for Liberty Way violations will not qualify to run for office.
“It does tend to narrow the pool,” Broadway said. “(But) there are several people that could qualify. Anyone that is currently serving in an upper leadership position in SGA would qualify.”
Broadway said physical campaigning usually starts the Monday before Election Day. Candidates and volunteers can begin setting up tables and posting flyers that Monday at 8 a.m. The rules also usually prohibit social media campaigning until about a week before the election.
“We keep it really compact because we don’t want to bombard campus,” Broadway said. “We’re not here for the spotlight. We’re here as servants. That’s what SGA is all about. We want to be here and engage with the students, show (them) what we do a little bit, but we don’t want to force students.”
To help students really get to know the candidates, Broadway suggested students ask candidates personal questions about their beliefs and ideas on student government.
Students can vote on the Liberty splash page for student body elections Wednesday, April 15 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. One student can cast one vote for each office. Class officer elections will be held early in the fall 2015 semester.
Hoosier is a news reporter.