After weeks of preparation, the Student Association executive council elections have finally arrived. The polling stations for this year’s elections will be at the Colvard Student Union in the Dawg House and the Mitchell Memorial Library from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Outgoing SA President Jeremy Johnson said he hopes to see more students participate in today’s election than last year’s.
“Last year about 1,600 to 1,700 students came to vote,” he said. “Since we have more contested races, we are hoping to get some more people out.”
The positions that remain uncontested for the upcoming election include those of vice president and secretary.
Braxton Stowe, junior secondary education and political science major, is running uncontested for vice president, and senior political science major Whitney Holliday is running for secretary.
Candidates competing for SA treasurer are juniors Sean Galligan, Will Moon and Ross Weems. Blake Jeter and Lee Thorne are vying for the attorney general position.
SA election commissioner Phillip Bass said voter turnout should increase this year as a result of having more than one uncontested race.
“I feel this is going to increase the turnout because there is more competition and interests in the races,” he said.
Junior general business administration major Braxton Coombs and senior biological engineering major Jeral Self are both contestants for the presidential election.
Johnson said he wishes students knew how important it is for them to vote in the upcoming elections.
“The SA represents the students,” he said. “Students should vote for the candidates that represent the changes that they feel should come about.”
Sarai Herring, a junior educational psychology major, said the SA elections are important because they give students an opportunity to elect someone who can voice their needs.
“As students we have a voice on campus,” she said. “Despite being one of 17,000, we can still have an impact on campus.”
Rusty Whitten, a junior biology major, said the SA is critical in changing things on campus.
“It’s very important to have a student voice on what happens on campus because we are the ones directly affected by it,” he said.
Senior civil engineering major Tyler Sholes said students should understand the importance of each position available.
“If they [students] know the role of each position, they will be more able to match the students’ abilities and talents for the position they are running for,” he said.
Bass said the results for the election will be announced either in the food court or patio area of the Union at 9 p.m. Tuesday night.