Today is the last chance students have to vote in this spring’s Student Government Association election, ending tonight at 11:59 p.m.
The crowded election field features 19 student senate candidates and four candidates for student body president.
The ballot also has four referendum questions, a jump from just one question in the spring 2010 election. They’re measuring student opinion on a smoking ban on campus, extended library and computer hours, the value of the Student Success Center and the creation of a student union.
Beginning next fall, student senators will receive stipends of roughly $500 for the academic year. Previously only committee chairs and members of the executive board received compensation.
In contrast to last year’s SGA election with only two candidates for student body president, the student body president election this year is being contended by three candidates on the ballot, while one candidate, criminology major Hawk Reynoso, is running a write-in campaign.
Reynoso said he is not on the ballot because he decided to run last-minute, missing the nomination deadline. According to Reynoso, he ran because he sees a lack of a community environment at USM. “I’ve always been let down by the lack of college community,” he said. “People don’t seem to know each other.”
Current Student Senate Chair Allie Parker said she thinks the Student Senate has been better at publicizing the election and the role student government plays at USM. “I think we’ve done a good job as a whole educating people about SGA,” she said.
Student Senator Alex Bresler, who has been a senator a total of four years, said he has seen elections fluctuate. “Maybe there’s a good reason,” he said. “I don’t know maybe just more people are running.”
Students can view candidate profiles and vote online at http://usm.maine.edu/studentlife/vote11/