Student Government Kicks Off Election campaigns for 2021-2022

Each April, Liberty University students select two of their peers through an election process to serve as a liaison between students and administration as Student Body President and Vice President for the following academic year. 

This year’s election is now underway, with three tickets in the running. Candidates officially announced their participation in the race on social media the evening of Thursday, March 18. 

The normally bustling election season was moved to a virtual format last year after the COVID-19 shutdown, so candidates were forced to rely heavily on social media and virtual meetings to communicate their platforms and intentions with voters. Tabling locations, campaigning across campus and events will indicate a return to a more normal election cycle over the next few weeks.

The candidates will meet for a debate Tuesday, March 30, to communicate their ideas to voters. The event will take place in DeMoss 1284, and requires pre-registration to attend. 

Voting will commence online April 7, giving candidates a few weeks to establish platform points and meet students.   

Gus Payne and Cody Butler are both Juniors running for Student Body president and vice president, respectively. Payne is studying Pre-law politics and policy and has a year of SGA experience in the Legislative branch as Parliamentarian and House Counsel. Butler is the chair of the House of Delegates Committee on Spiritual Affairs, which creates legislation based around students’ spiritual needs on campus. 

Evan Kluth and Jess West are also in the running. Kluth is a business major in his junior year, and currently serves as SGA Chief of Staff. West, his running mate, is also a junior studying international relations with minors in spanish and global studies, and is the Director of Clubs for SGA. 

Shea Whitehurst and Cade Daniel make up another ticket in the race. Whitehurst is a junior government major studying policy and politics and serves as the junior class vice president. Daniel is a CGL on the hill and a policy reporter for SGA. 

Current Student Body Vice President Joel Thomas offered advice to the candidates leading into the election cycle based on his experience over the past year.

“Be more for what you are for than what you are against,” Thomas said. “Know that your identity is in Christ regardless of whether you win or lose – just focus on being obedient.” 

Each team’s platform and policy points can be found through their respective Instagram pages: @evanjess21, @sheacade21, @paynebutler2021.

Kayleigh Hammer is a Copy Editor. View her LinkedIn profile here.