Polls open for Student Government elections, here’s a guide before you vote:

After a slew of plot twists on the road to election, voting has officially commenced for Student Government Executive and Legislative Branch positions. Nineteen names of students will appear on the ballot with eight seats up for election on SG Senate and three for executive positions.

SG unveiled its new voting system at 12:01 a.m. Feb. 12 by allowing students to vote online at any given time though 11:59 p.m. Feb. 14. In previous years, students could only vote during certain hours of each election day. Now, students can vote at sg.miami.edu/vote or by logging onto OrgSync 24 hours a day. Elections Commission Chairman Luis Goberna said the commission tested the system with “extended voting hours” last semester and saw an increase in turnout rates. The Elections Commission will also be in the Breezeway 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Feb. 12 to 14 with laptops for students to use to vote.

Goberna, a junior, said the new 24-hour system is expected to increase turnout rates and provide students with a better experience.

Students still have two opportunities this week to meet candidates before voting including a meet and greet 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Feb. 12 on the Rock Plaza and a similar event 12:30 p.m. Feb. 13 in the Rathskeller.

Each candidate can decide whether or not to attend the events that are not mandatory, Goberna said.

If you can’t make any of these events, don’t sweat it. Here’s what you’ll find on the ballot when you go to vote:

EXECUTIVE BRANCH

Initially, the “U First” and “We Got You” tickets were set to go head-to-head against one another for the available three executive positions. However, candidates Matthew Wenstrom and Ashlyn Coleman of We Got You indicated to Goberna on Feb. 2 that both wanted to withdraw from the race. Then, on Feb. 7, the remaining candidate of the We Got You ticket, Nishan Ravichandran, also said he will not be participating in any campaigning events.

Because all the individuals of the We Got You ticket indicated they wanted to withdraw from the race after the deadline to do so, their names will still appear on the ballot. However, because no one campaigned on behalf of We Got You, the race for the executive branch positions was left virtually uncontested.

Any student is eligible to vote for SG Executive Branch positions. Students are able to vote for the ticket as a whole or for each individual separately. Constituents can also write in candidates on the ballot.

President

Evan De Joya (U First)

Matthew Wenstrom (We Got You)

Vice President

Catherine De Freitas (U First)

Nishan Ravichandran (We Got You)

Treasurer

Rafael Cariello (U First)

Ashlyn Coleman (We Got You)

 

LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

The plot twists in the run for the SG Executive Branch positions are not the only shakeups in the elections. Just as SG was experiencing low registration turnout rates as the election deadline approached, multiple candidates signed up to run for various available positions in SG Senate in the hours leading up to the cutoff date.

However, according to Goberna, Amanda Beyrer mistakenly registered to run for the available transfer student seat when she intended to run for the commuter student seat. The Elections Commission voted 7-1 to allow Beyrer’s registration to be amended and allow her to run for the commuter student seat.

The amendment left no one in the running for the available position as senator for the transfer student population.

Another candidate, vying for the position of School of Communication senator, failed to sign in at the Mandatory Candidates Meeting. The candidate was disqualified from running and removed from the ballot.

Yiorgos Takoudis, a candidate vying to be School of Business senator, indicated he wanted to withdraw from the race. However, similar to the candidates from We Got You, he was denied his intent to withdraw and will still appear on the ballot.

Students are only allowed to vote for seats of which they are constituents of. For example, a student in the School of Communication cannot vote for a candidate running for the School of Business seat, unless the constituent also has a major in the School of Business.

Constituents are still able to write in candidates for each position including the open transfer seat position that has no registered candidates running.

School of Communication Senator (One open seat)

Abigail Bryman

Business School Senator (One open seat)

David Tzeel (incumbent)

Patrick Bauer

Jasmin Dakkak

Micaela Stoner

Yiorgos Takoudis

Charles Rilli

College of Arts and Sciences Senator (Two open seats)

Joseph Kruper

Micah Council

Commuter Senator (Three open seats)

Amanda Lopez-Cardet

Amanda Beyrer

Kathleen Kean

Marisol Fernandez

 

Election results will be announced 5:30 p.m. Feb. 15 at the Lakeside Patio.

Correction, 5:45 p.m., Feb. 14, 2018: This article incorrectly stated that there would be eighteen candidates on the ballot. The correct number candidates on the ballot are nineteen. The article has been updated to reflect this information.