SG midterm elections to fill St. Petersburg Senate and Campus Council seats
Courtesy of Student Government
By Annalise Anderson and Isaiah Sterling
USF St. Petersburg students will choose their next campus representatives during Student Government midterm elections on Oct. 12 and 13.
Thirteen candidates are campaigning to fill St. Petersburg’s four open Senate seats and its eight open Campus Council seats. Nine candidates are running for Senate and 10 are running for Campus Council.
Five candidates are running for both Senate and Campus Council. If they are elected for both, the candidate must choose which position they prefer to fill.
Both Campus Council representatives and senators are expected to participate and vote in their respective SG meetings, review and recommend campus budget allocations and communicate with campus constituents.
Senators are also expected to conduct audits of student organization events that are funded by activity and service fees.
Campus Council and Senate positions are paid by USF for an allotted number of weekly hours.
Voting will be held online beginning midnight on Oct. 12 until 11:59 p.m. on Oct. 13. Students can access the virtual ballots by scanning the election’s QR code or online at eballot.app/usf/caslogin.cfm.
Polling stations will be set up outside of the University Student Center and the Nelson Poynter Memorial Library on voting days to answer questions about the process.
Despite the consolidation of all three USF campuses, St. Petersburg students can only vote for St. Petersburg candidates.
SG Supervisor of Elections Savannah Carr said the polling stations and increased amount of on-campus activity may result in a higher voter turnout than 2020’s midterm elections.
According to Carr, this election is “especially important” because St. Petersburg’s elected representatives help choose SG’s next student body president and vice president in the general election next spring.
“Students need to vote in midterms because it is their way of getting their voice heard,” Carr said in an email to The Crow’s Nest. “So many students say there are things they want to see a change in with Student Government. The only way to see that change is to go and vote.”
The Crow’s Nest asked each candidate why they chose to run for SG and what they hope to accomplish if elected:
Chevaughn Bashford, Campus Council and Senate
Bashford is a senior environmental science and policy major.
“I chose to run for [Senate and Campus Council] because I would like to serve the USFSP campus the best way I can and become a voice for the student population. I believe that everyone should have a voice, and if I am elected, I will be doing my best to bring about change that will be for the benefit of all within the USFSP Community. I see this as a chance for me to get out and try to reach students, while also creating and maintaining relationships with community partners, campus units and professional staff members.”
Julia Bailey, Campus Council
Bailey is a freshman political science major.
“I am running for Campus Council here at USF St. Petersburg. I chose to run for Campus Council representative because I would love the opportunity to create change where needed and support my colleagues, as well. With my passion for government and law, I plan to hear all matters and make sure students know that their opinion and voice matters. If elected, I hope to accomplish changes that promote safety, security and functionality here at USF St. Petersburg.”
Kande DaCosta, Senate
DaCosta is a freshman finance major.
“I chose to run for Senate because I have a passion for helping others and it would give me the opportunity to connect with my fellow peers and build personal connections. I would also like to leave a mark on the school and inspire others to do the same. If I am elected for Senate, I would advocate for better funding for clubs’ activities and I would put the student body first by getting their input on issues of concern. Finally, I would be an advocate for minorities across campus no matter their race, gender, sexuality or ethnicity.”
Maya Morant, Campus Council
Morant is a freshman pre-medicine major.
“I’m running for student council because I want the people’s voices to be heard. As a person who lives on campus, I can relate to issues that many students face. If I get elected, I hope to better the student life on campus and be able to advocate for change.”
Taylor Herman, Campus Council and Senate
Herman is a freshman political science major.
“In high-school, I was involved in a few leadership positions that helped me become more familiar with school outside of my small bubble of influence as well as introduce me to so many people. I’m running for Student Government as USFSP because I want to get to know this school, its diverse aspects and more of the thousands of students I normally wouldn’t run in to. As a political science major who wants to possibly move forward into government or law, I feel like I can bring a lot to the table as a representative, as well as gain a new perspective on what the student body really wants and cares about. One of my aims is to get to know students’ thoughts about their dining experience, residence halls and recreational activities in order to see how we can improve campus life and make St. Pete the place to be at USF.”
Valeria Ferrari, Senate
Ferrari is a sophomore political science major.
“I chose to run for Senate because I want to engage and connect the leading powers of the Student Government and the student body to ensure harmony within our college community of the University of South Florida. I believe that with positive interaction and communication between the Government and the community which they serve, which are the students, we can create an environment where everyone can thrive and prosper in any aspect they choose to. I will fight to represent the student body and make their presence seen and involve them and their voices in the decision-making process within Student Government. I pledge to lead as a Senator that is attentive to their constituents and care for them because I firmly believe that those are the duties of what a real Senator does.”
Jayden Sutliff, Campus Council and Senate
Jayden Sutliff is a freshman biology major.
“Throughout nearly all of my academic career, I have been actively involved in student government organizations and I have participated in numerous charitable and community-driven activities. I love the University of South Florida and the people that are in it. I want to make a positive and lasting impact on our university and its students. I also want to increase the community presence of USF as well as create more diverse opportunities and experiences for students. I believe that serving as a USF Senator/USFSP Campus Council representative is one of the best ways I can accomplish this ambition. I want to be a true representative that any student may approach to ask questions or provide opinions. After all, the student body voice is the driving force behind what I am doing.”
Candidates Abigail Baker, Iris Van Der Veen, Jalise Martinez, Lucas Walters, Matthew Ibarra and Reanna Cowan did not immediately respond to The Crow’s Nest request for comment.
