The 23 students running in the undergraduate student government elections were announced at an orientation session on Tuesday, during which they formally registered their candidacy with the Elections Board.
Most of the candidates are affiliated with one of the two major slates, groups of students with similar ideologies that share resources and campaign together. Those slates are Students First! and Bruins United.
Bruins United is running 11 candidates, while Students First! is running nine. There are also three independent candidates, two of whom are running for the uncontested positions of Campus Events commissioner and Community Service commissioner, while the third independent is facing a Bruins United opponent for the position of Student Welfare commissioner.
The announcement that Bruins United will be running a candidate against a traditionally independent commission marks the first time that such an event has happened since 2001, said current Student Welfare commissioner Jonathan Pham. The independent, in-house candidate for Student Welfare commissioner Lucy Wu is set to go against Bruins United candidate Myles Hamby.
At the beginning of the orientation, candidates from both slates displayed their unity and enthusiasm for the elections process. Students First! candidates entered uniformly, wearing all red and black, while Bruins United candidates ““ wearing everyday clothing ““ gave off several loud cheers before sitting down.
During the orientation, representatives from the Elections Board detailed the timeline of the campaign and assigned the candidates their respective places on the voting ballot as well as their designated spaces to place campaign signboards.
From there, board representatives read rules and regulations of the campaign and started naming off all the candidates by position. Candidates and supporters from each of the slates cheered as they were announced.
Cinthia Flores, a fourth-year political science student is running against Jesse Rogel, a fourth-year global studies student for the position of the presidency.
Both Flores, who is running with Students First!, and Rogel, who is running with Bruins United, are undergraduate representatives on the Associated Students UCLA board of directors.
Rogel said he is excited to be running with Bruins United because his slate advocates fairness and equality for all students.
“I feel it is my commitment to take steps to ensure fairness for student-group funding,” Rogel said.
Flores also said she was looking forward to campaigning because of what she described as the Students First! legacy of promoting affordability and student engagement.
“I’m really excited. USAC has been a huge part of my life, and I’m ready to get out there,” Flores said.
After the meeting, some other candidates reiterated the commitments their respective slates had pledged to make and said they looked forward to the campaign ahead.
Addison Huddy, a third-year political science student, said he is running as a general representative for Bruins United because his slate represents all students on campus.
“We have an amazing campaign that will give students what they need and drive them to success,” Huddy said.
In the next two weeks, candidates will go through a rigorous series of endorsement hearings from student groups, a moderated debate and a full week of campaigning.
Voting begins Monday, May 4 at 7 p.m. and will continue through Thursday, May 7, after which the results will be announced.
With reports from Judith Perera, Bruin contributor.