The student body has chosen who it would like to represent it for the coming academic year.
The Student Government Association released the results of the Fall 2025-Spring 2026 Senate and Executive elections on Feb. 19. As many senate candidates ran unopposed and SGA and its Elections Committee revoked the student’s ability to write-in their preferred candidates this election cycle, almost every senator who ran secured or retained their seat in SGA. Similarly, the candidates for Secretary and Treasurer, both of whom ran unopposed, were granted seats by default, although the Secretary-elect received a whopping 560 votes — more than the number of affirmative votes for the Constitution and any other individual. The Treasurer-elect also received more votes than the Constitution, being the only other candidate to do so, with over 540 votes.
Additionally, an updated version of the Constitution passed with almost 530 votes in favor of passage and just over 100 against. Passing a new Constitution has been a mission of SGA for the past three years. However, the attempt was reinvigorated late last year as the provisions for referenda, the power of the student body to overturn actions taken by SGA, set a high threshold, which proved to be unreachable, that prevented the student body from overturning some widely hated decisions of the Judicial Council and Senate. Ultimately, however, the provision for referenda that caused controversy last year remained unchanged. Still, there were some updates to the Constitution made by SGA, such as lowering the minimum GPA a member of the Executive Branch can have before losing their seat.
As is generally the case, most students were focused on the presidential and, this year, vice presidential elections. Internal Affairs Committee chair Beckham Schell won the vice presidency against Secretary Holden Caldwell by five votes, winning 340 votes over Caldwell’s 335. In a landslide victory, Constituent Engagement Committee chair Kadee Jo Ransom is set to become the next president of SGA, obtaining over 400 votes — 120 more than incumbent president Michael Combs.
Throughout the two weeks leading up to the election, the presidential candidates campaigned the most with each consistently posting on Instagram about their accomplishments and endorsements. While the candidates themselves remained civil throughout the campaign period, the same cannot be said about the comments made on YikYak by those who opposed the candidates. Some comments were in good faith, such as ones that judged the candidates based on what they achieved for the student body during their time in SGA. Others, however, were vicious and unnecessary. Hidden behind the anonymity YikYak provides, users launched unsolicited insults against President-elect Ransom, attacking her based on shallow reasons rather than considering her based on her merit.
Thankfully, this time around, all campaigning done by the candidates was kept above board and in accordance with the Elections Code. Furthermore, now, the Elections Code provides a tier system for punishments of violations. So rather than automatic disqualification, other actions will be taken if it comes out that any candidate violated the Elections Code. Additionally, because other SGA documents have been updated throughout the past year, the Judicial Council no longer has the unilateral authority to prevent an individual from serving in their elected capacity in SGA. So hopefully this year, all those rightfully elected by the student body will be able to serve.
