Twenty candidates are running for seven open positions, including a spot on the executive board, on the Undergraduate Student Government.

Fall elections begin Tuesday, Sept. 14 at 9 a.m. and will remain open until Friday, Sept. 17 at 9 p.m.

Executive position unusual on fall ballot

One candidate was elected to the executive vice president position last year, said Corey Dahl, the USG vice-president of public relations. When she resigned at the end of last year, there was not enough time to hold another election.

“Because she was the only candidate who ran for the position, there was no second candidate by default,” Dahl said.

Other positions on ballots

Four positions are open to freshman students, including class president, two class senator positions and one residential senator position. The other non-freshman positions open are for the Elections and Credentials Committee Chair and Student Diversity Relations Chair.

The Elections and Credentials Committee Chair was not filled last election, as no one ran for the spot.

The Student Diversity Relations Chair is a “fairly new position,” Dahl said.

“It was created about three school years ago and was vacant all last year,” he said.

Dahl said the exact terms of the position are not outlined in the USG constitution. The student who is elected to the position will help develop its terms.

“We’re at the drawing board with this position so it can be here in the long term,” Dahl said.

How to vote

All undergraduate students are eligible to vote and can access the ballot and candidate profiles from the Bulletin link or the USG website. St. Thomas log-ins are required to access the ballot.

A student’s academic level is preset in the system by the number of credits on a student’s transcript. Only students with freshman standing will vote for freshman class representatives as well as the other positions.

All undergraduates will vote for the other three positions. Only one vote can be made for each student username.

List of Candidates

Executive Vice President
Sahr Brima, senior
Njenga Kariuki, junior

Elections and Credentials Committee Chair
Samantha Barriga, sophomore
Tyler Petersen, junior
Chantel Taylor, sophomore

Student Diversity Relations Chair
Matt Luong, sophomore
Sally Mahmoud, junior

Freshman Class President
Cole Aden
Nathaniel Binversie
Zach Duncan
Correy Glynn
Heaven Fekadu
Jenna Jacobsen
Rodney Nguyen

Freshman Class Senator (2 positions available)
Lauren Durand
Catherine Huss
Jenna Johnson
Jet Llyod

Freshman Residential Senator
Kelsey Arens
Ryan Symanietz

Theresa Malloy can be reached at mall5754@stthomas.edu.