UF students lined up at polling stations early Wednesday for the second and last day of Student Government elections. By the time polls close this evening, students will have decided which party will define campus policy.
For the first time in a year, Vision Party faces opposition — with the Hope Party, along with one independent, competing for nine slots. Tuesday marks Hope Party’s debut in Student Government, replacing Vision’s previous opponents, the Change and Watch Parties.
Students are voting on 50 living-area senators — 13 on-campus and 47 off-campus seats.
Polls are open from 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday at:
- Honors Village Small Meeting Room #115 (1512 Museum Road)
- Southwest Recreation Center Lobby (3150 Hull Road)
- Health Science Center Library (1249 Center Drive)
- Institute of Black Culture Classroom (1510 W. University Ave.)
- Heavener Hall (1325 W. University Ave.)
- Reitz Union Print Lab, Lower Level (655 Reitz Union Drive)
- Norman Education Library (618 SW 12th St.)
- Keys Complex (2191 Stadium Road)
Candidates and other student government officials are expected to gather at the Reitz Union Wednesday evening in anticipation of election results, which could be announced as early as 9:30 p.m.
Live updates:
Heavener Hall, 1:09 p.m.
Colton Hill, a 19-year-old business administration sophomore, said he voted because he wanted to support his friends who were running.
Voting matters because students "want to get good people into student government to make good decisions," he said.
— Jessica Yang
Heavener Hall, 12:43 p.m.
Joshua Gerber, a 21-year-old business administration senior, voted for Vision Party candidates because most of his friends are in Vision and some of them are running, he said.
Under Vision, he said he would like to see increased safety measures on campus.
— Jessica Yang
Reitz Union Print Lab, 12:02 p.m.
Jordan Hoffman, a 21-year-old family, youth, and community sciences senior, said he voted for the Hope Party, because he doesn't like that Vision is associated with fraternities and sororities across campus.
“I don't really think they're doing much,” he said.
Hoffman said he has a friend who is a candidate in Hope and wanted to support him. He also said he would like to see more resources available at UF.
— Lilyanna Collado
Reitz Union Print Lab, 11:31 a.m.
Vision candidates approached Emma Schroeder, a 19-year-old sports management sophomore about voting for their party. Schroeder is still not entirely sure who she’d like to vote for, but Vision candidates have swayed her more to vote for Vision.
“Our input mattered a lot to them,” Schroeder said. “We could always tell them stuff and they would try and input it.”
Schroeder hopes that coming out of this election, a positive impact will be made on UF and its community.
— Lilyanna Collado
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
