Student Government election season is approaching, and students can choose from one of three candidates to elect as the University’s next student body president.
Stone Cox and Hannah Barrios are running on the “Reach” ticket, Mi’Kel Granville and Sophia Pollman are running on the “Envision” ticket and Desh Gaskins and Hayden Robert are running independently.
Here is a timeline of upcoming election events:
March 2
Active campaigning begins. Various candidates can set up tables in Free Speech Alley to promote their platforms. Candidates must follow the guidelines set forth in the University’s election code, including campaigning in designated areas and refraining from active campaigning before the third week of the election timetable. Active campaigning includes distributing campaign material. Passive campaigning, such as announcing campaigns, seeking endorsements or wearing campaign apparel, is permitted at any time during the election process.
March 3
Presidential and vice presidential candidates will debate in the Holiday Forum at 7 p.m. All students are invited to watch and learn more about the candidates’ platforms.
March 9
The general election will be held on March 9, and students can vote for all positions on TigerLink. In order to vote, students can log in to TigerLink using their myLSU credentials and click on the election titled, “LSU Student Government Election.”
March 11
General election results are announced on March 11, and election complaints are due the same day. Complaints can be filed by any LSU student.
March 12
Complaints will be reviewed by the election board, according to LSU Student Government Commissioner of Elections Avery Spicker.
If deemed necessary, a run-off election will be held for the applicable positions.
March 12 and 13
Active campaigning will take place in the event of a run-off election. The run-off election campaigns must follow the same rules as the original active campaigns.
March 16
Run-off voting will be opened. In 2019, voting for the runoff election will also take place on TigerLink.
March 18
Final run-off results will be announced, with another validation check the following day.
“If no complaints were to be filed, then the results are deemed final,” Spicker said.
The 2019 Student Government election, which was the most contested election in the University’s recent history, produced a runoff between the “Elevate” and “All In” tickets.
“Elevate” presidential candidate William Jewell and running mate Taylor Scott received 47.55% of the students’ votes in the initial election, and “All In” presidential candidate Catherine McKinney and running mate Nash Joyner received 27.19%. Candidates needed at least 50% of the votes to win.
Jewell and Scott ultimately won the election by receiving 57% of votes in the runoff.
In both 2018 and 2017, the presidential and vice presidential roles were uncontested.
*Editor’s Note: A previous version of this story referred to the “Envision” ticket as “Evolve.” That has since been corrected.
