From September 9 to September 13, 2024, Southwestern University students voted on which of their peers would be elected to represent them in the Student Government Association (SGA) General Assembly. Four representatives for each class year and eight Member At-Large Representatives were elected. Each voter could vote for as many candidates as there were seats.

First-year students elected Remi Jobi, Madeline Cowan, Carmella Villarreal, and Vania Rodriguez. Candidate Remi Jobi led the pack with 26 votes and an approval of 38%. In their campaign statement, Representative Jobi discussed the importance of helping the freshman class get more open and involved as they transition into college life, as well as enhancing school spirit and community through initiatives like pep rallies, spirit weeks, and the return of the all-important hammocks!

First-Year General Election Results 2024-2025 – 68 Voters (16.27% Turnout)

Elected –– Remi Jobi (26 votes – 38.24%)

Elected – Madeline Cowan (22 votes)

Elected – Carmella Villarreal (21 votes)

Elected – Vania Rodriguez (19 votes)

The Sophomore General Election had the highest turnout compared to any other election at 18%. The elected Representatives comprised students Kate Dennis, Devin Yu, Jackson Feuerbacher, and Vedant Polepally. Of the Sophomore Representatives, Kate Dennis received the most votes, 33, garnering a 57% approval rating. Dennis’ campaign statement cited the biochemistry major’s work in organizations like Best Buddies, and that “Honoring the diversity of our pirate community is imperative; by listening and representing your voice, I believe I can facilitate positive change in our community!”

Sophomore General Election Results 2024-2025 – 57 Voters (18.15% Turnout)

Elected – Kate Dennis (33 votes)

Elected – Devin Yu (20 votes) 

Elected – Vedant Polepally (18 votes) 

Elected – Jackson Feuerbacher (18 votes)

The Junior General Election ended with students Isabella Valenzuela, Zachary Collins, Jorge Diaz Cuervo, and Raven Waugh being elected to the four representative seats for the class year. Leading with 32 votes and an approval rating of 71%, Representative Valenzuela’s campaign statement was short and to the point: “I hope to aid student government in having a bigger presence and impact on campus by leaning on my strengths in the operational areas of SGA.”

Junior General Election Results 2024-2025 – 45 Voters (12.43% Turnout)

Elected – Isabella Valenzuela (32 votes) 

Elected – Zachary Collins (23 votes)

Elected – Jorge Diaz Cuervo (20 votes)

Elected – Raven Waugh (14 votes)

The Senior General Election was less contested than the other races, with only five candidates compared to the ten candidate races of both first-years and sophomores, and the eight running for Junior Representative. The final count ended with Sabrina Peña, Dugan Sexton, Lukas Silvius, and Damien Morales all elected as Senior Representatives. Sabrina Peña garnered the most support with 22 votes and 52% approval. Peña’s campaign statement had a strong emphasis on student issues such as: “parking accessibility, the dining hall experience, graduation planning, and increased transparency from university administration.”

Senior General Election Results 2024-2025 – 42 Voters (12% Turnout)

Elected – Sabrina Peña (22 votes) 

Elected – Dugan Sexton (20 votes)

Elected – Lukas Silvius (18 votes) 

Elected – Damien Morales (12 votes)

The Member-At-Large General Election was the largest, with 33 candidates, electing eight representatives. However, candidates who had already won a seat in any other election were automatically taken out of the running. The election concluded with seven elected and a tie between the eighth seat with candidates Nash Kendall, Cameron Comiskey, and Myla Wolf.

Member-At-Large General Election Results 2024-2025 – 218 Votes Cast (15.10% Turnout)

Elected –– Tiffany Ashcraft (39 votes)

Elected – Bree Dang (36 votes)

Elected – Gabe Cordova (33 votes)Elected –– Alexis Bolte (28 votes)

Elected –– Ricky Mitchell (28 votes) 

Elected –– Ainslie Bashara (21 votes) 

Elected – Conner Radosavljevic (19 votes)

Tie –– Cameron Comiskey (17 votes)

Tie – Nash Kendall (17 votes)

Tie – Myla Wolf (17 votes) 

The SGA Constitution states that it falls to the General Assembly to break the tie in the following manner. 

1. In the event there is an exact tie for an elected office, the General Assembly shall break said tie with the following method–
   1. The General Assembly shall elect from among its representatives, via a majority vote, a General Assembly Speaker, who shall not be a candidate for either President or Vice President, and who shall have been elected to the assembly, who will preside over the tie-breaking process and shall not vote in the tie-breaking process unless there is a tie in voting by delegations.
   2. Appointed representatives, excluding proxies, shall be prohibited from voting in this tie-breaking process.
   3. Each delegation of legislators (first-year, sophomore, junior, senior, and at-large) shall get one vote for their delegation.
   4. Each delegation may only vote for one of the top candidates and this vote shall be determined by the majority of votes within said delegation.
   5. The candidate who gets the most delegation votes shall win.
   6. In the event there is a tied vote within a delegation, their delegation shall be excluded from the tally in said round of voting.
   7. In the event there is a tie in voting by delegations, the General Assembly Speaker shall vote to break said tie.

The tie breaker vote concluded with Sophomore Myla Wolf garnering votes from four out of five delegations to claim the final spot on the Member-At-Large delegation. But while the Student Government Association elections drew most of the voting time, equally as prominent was the voting for SU’s Homecoming Royalty!

Sophomore Royalty Election Results 2024-2025 – (15.1% Turnout)

Elected – Jorge Carlos Diaz Cuervo Pueblita (Unopposed)

Elected – Kate Dennis (Unopposed)

Junior General Election Results 2024-2025 – (11.6% Turnout)

Elected – Andie Abell (Unopposed)

The Sophomore and Junior races were a foregone conclusion with all candidates running unopposed; however, the Senior races carried on over three rounds of voting, resulting in the election of two to homecoming court and one homecoming Queen!

Senior Royalty Election Results 2024-2025 – (9.29% Turnout)

Elected – Lauren Chisholm – 42 First choice votes over three rounds

Elected -Damien Morales – 20 First choice votes over two rounds

Elected – Christina Kuras – 48 First choice votes over three rounds

With the conclusion of the SGA and Homecoming Royalty elections, Southwestern University students now have a group of their peers committed to representing their interests, whether in the process of legislating in SGA or the social function of homecoming.