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.
Wednesday brought out roughly 1,924 votes, according to Supervisor of Elections Makena Romero. In total across Tuesday and Wednesday, voter turnout increased by about 24% from the Spring.
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:
Reitz Union Print Lab, 5:25 p.m.
Tristan Rodriguez, an 18-year-old history freshman, said he voted for Hope Party because he is against Vision’s one-party rule in the senate. A one-party system isn’t beneficial to those involved in student politics, he said.
“I think there needs to be at least some voice for the people who disagree with Vision,” he said.
Vision’s lack of transparency with funding decisions, along with his desire for the extension of Marston’s hours, were also reasons he voted against Vision, he added.
— Sofia Garcia
Reitz Union Print Lab, 5:08 p.m.
Olivia Nguyen, a 19-year-old psychology sophomore, said that she voted for the Hope Party because she wants the University of Florida Police Department’s involvement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement to end.
The removal of surveillance cameras, such as Flock Safety, from around UF and Gainesville are top priorities for her, too, she added.
Nguyen felt that Student Government didn’t promote the election enough, either, so she hopes in the future, elections have higher visibility.
“All of my friends had no idea about it, nobody even knows the Vision Party,” she said.
— Sofia Garcia
Reitz Union Print Lab, 4:48 p.m.
Livia Kumagae, a 19-year-old biology freshman, said her dislike of previous Vision Party policies led her to vote for Hope Party.
She said she believes Vision’s refusal to advocate for UF Police Department to end its agreement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which allows UFPD officers to act as immigration officers, is a failure on the party’s end.
Regional Transit System route restoration, and the return of the Marston Library’s 24/7 schedule, are priorities for her, she added.
“I just kind of want to be more represented, as a non-[Greek] person,” she said.
Kumagae learned about the election after seeing Vision Party representatives stationed by her dorm, Hume Hall, she said, but read Alligator coverage to learn more about candidates before she went to the polls.
— Sofia Garcia
Reitz Union Print Lab, 4:43 p.m.
Giada Chiroli, a 20-year-old psychology junior, said she voted for Hope Party after she was approached by a representative during the campaigning period.
Adding funding to the Regional Transit System is Chiroli’s primary concern, she said. Vision’s history of what she described as complacency in RTS funding reductions pushed her toward its opposing party.
Last year UF cut 13% of its funding toward the bus system. The student senate passed a resolution calling for the restoration of the RTS funding, though the budget has not been restored.
“I take the buses every day,” she said. ”I would like to see more bus transportation.”
More seating outside the Reitz Union is another change she would like to see made, she added.
— Sofia Garcia
Reitz Union Print Lab, 4:25 p.m.
Austin McCormack, an 18-year-old finance freshman, said he was asked by Vision Party members to vote in the election. He did not know any of the party’s competitors, he admitted.
“I met a bunch of amazing people who asked me to come here and they were part of the Vision parties, so I voted for them,” he said.
— Ray Garcia
Reitz Union Print Lab, 3:35 p.m.
Gabriel Castaneda, an 18-year-old mechanical engineering freshman, said Vision Party has been “hounding” him around campus, influencing him to vote in its favor. Their candidates put in the work, he added, which he values.
“Everywhere I go, I see them,” he said. ”You gotta respect the hustle.”
— Ray Garcia
Southwest Recreation Center, 2:33 p.m.
Pam Chiweshe, a 21-year-old sports management junior, said she’s never voted in Student Government elections, and she remains undecided on whether she will before polls close.
Before Wednesday, Chiweshe said she had never heard of the Hope Party, adding she plans to research every candidate before voting. If she votes, her decision will hinge on a candidates’ goals and their party’s accomplishments, she said.
“Anyone can come up with a really good idea, but can you actually get it done?” she asked.
Expanding accessibility on campus is one of Chiweshe’s top concerns this election season, she said, because one of her friends was unable to participate in sports management opportunities because of facilities’ lack of ramps or railings.
Construction on Stadium Road is another concern for Chiweshe, as she said it has been an obstacle in her commutes to classes. She would like more warnings about which roads will be obstructed and when, she added.
Ongoing construction has worsened parking conditions on campus, she said, and it is another concern that will influence her vote.
“You discover on the day that you need to use that road,” Chiweshe said. “Now you need to go around 10 other streets [to get] where you need to.”
— Christian Haas
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
