After a slow start, more students qualified and slated for UF Student Government Senate seats than last semester.
A record 674 students qualified for the 2013 Fall elections, which are next month.
In Spring, a total of 513 students qualified, according to Alligator archives.
Supervisor of Elections Justin Hoover said he tried to spread the word about qualifying through social media and advertisements through the Gator Times and Channel 8 news in the dorms.
Wednesday, he said, was the biggest rush, with 465 students qualifying in one day.
“People were trying to get in here and get it done,” Hoover said.
Students Party Campaign Manager Helie Dharia said her party will fill 44 seats on its slate, the same number as Spring 2013. A total of 61 students slated with the Students Party.
Overall, 550 students slated with the Swamp Party. Party Spokesman Joseph Michaels said the party will have a full slate with 50 seats.
“Swamp Party is confident that it has assembled the best candidates the University of Florida has to offer,” he said.
The remaining 63 students either did not slate with either party or intend to run as independents, Hoover explained.
Both parties announced their slates around midnight. A mandatory meeting for selected candidates will be held today at 9 p.m. in Rion Ballroom B in the Reitz Union.
A version of this story ran on page 1 on 9/12/2013 under the headline "Record number of students slate for October elections"
