Student government prepares for spring elections

Mason Student Government is preparing to hold its spring elections for student senate, president and vice president of the student body.

According to the student government website, “the Senate is responsible for passing all legislation brought before it, including resolutions that give statements on the opinions of the student body, and bills that provide funding for Student Government events and activities.”

Starting Monday, Feb. 18, packets to file for candidacy are available for students to pick up at the Office of Student Involvement.

“The student only needs 150 signatures from fellow students to run for Student Senate,” David Bier, chairman of the Election and Disputes Commission, wrote in an email.

Once students get all of their required signatures and turn in the packet, they need to attend a mandatory candidacy meeting on March 7, where upcoming election details will be discussed.  

“There are 30 of the 40 senate seats available. The remaining ten seats are reserved for freshmen & transfer students, which will be filled during the Fall Election,” Bier wrote in an email.

Along with the 30 senate seats, positions for student body president and vice president are also up for election.

The positions for president, vice president and 30 senate seats, are all up for election this spring (photo courtesy of Mason Student Government).

As for requirements, “students need to be in good standing with the university and carry a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA,” Bier wrote in an email. These requirements are a change from the cumulative GPA of 2.0 from last year.

In order to promote the election and make students more aware, the Election & Disputes Commission will host a debate between candidates for president and vice president on March 28.

“We are also hosting a big ‘get out the vote’ event on Tuesday, April 2 from 11a.m.-3p.m. The details of the [latter] event are still being finalized,” Bier wrote in an email.

The campaign period will begin on March 18 and goes until the voting period starts on April 2. Voting ends on Thursday, April 4.