As Mississippi State University kicks off its Student Association election week, students are being encouraged to vote for the next SA executive council and senators. Voting will take place on Feb. 18 from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Cowbell Connect.
Current SA President Carson McFatridge, a senior wildlife, fisheries and aquaculture major, and Vice President Lucy Mellen, a senior geoscience major, emphasized the significance of student participation in the election.
“It is really encouraging that more people are willing to take this step towards leadership in the SA and for the student body,” Mellen said. “It isn’t just a position for the student association — you are an employee of the university and you are working for the students.”
On election day, students can access their ballots by logging into Cowbell Connect, where the election ballot will be displayed at the top. Voters will have the opportunity to review the candidate’s platform points before making their selections for executive council positions, campus-wide senators, and representatives for their respective colleges.
McFatridge talked about the importance of election leaders who will advocate on behalf of the student body.
“You are truly electing people to serve you,” McFatridge said. “These people will not only bring activities and events and ideas to campus but are also representing you.”
This year marks the first time in the three-year history of the ticket system that more than two tickets are competing, with four different tickets vying for the presidential and vice-presidential positions.
The increased number of candidates raises the likelihood that the election will be forced into a runoff. If no ticket secures more than 50% of the vote, the top two candidates will compete in a runoff election that will extend the process until Thursday.
To help students stay informed, the SA has instructed all candidates to post their campaign materials under the hashtag “#VoteMSU.”
“Obviously, not everyone has access to social media,” McFatridge said, “so that’s why we encourage reaching out and meeting people on the Drill Field.”
Active campaigning begins on Thursday, with candidates being allowed to campaign with voters directly on the Drill Field. That evening, at 7 p.m. in Taylor Auditorium, the executive candidate debate will take place, allowing students to hear directly from each ticket about their vision for their possible administration. Mellen is encouraging students to take advantage of these events.
“The most important thing is to inform yourself about who the candidates are,” Mellen said.
As an additional incentive to increase voter turnout, the SA will host a “Party at the Polls” on the Drill Field where students can receive an “I Voted” sticker.
With multiple candidates running for office, McFatridge said she is excited to see how students engage in this year’s election cycle.
“Go out and vote,” McFatridge said. “I think this will be a really exciting year. I think there will be more people inclined to vote just because they might feel as if they have more options, so I’m really excited to see the voting turnout numbers.”
For more information about voting, students are encouraged to visit Cowbell Connect or talk to candidates directly throughout election week. Additionally, candidate profiles provided to the Reflector are available below.
