Twenty-eight candidates from five different parties are competing for 12 seats in the Student Association (SA) Senate, making this year’s round of senate elections the most hotly contested in years.
Only four candidates ran last year and in 2021, guaranteeing every candidate a seat and leaving the SA Senate with the ability to appoint the remaining eight senators as per SA bylaws.
The SA Senate — which is also composed of the SA e-board and club council coordinators — is responsible for allocating SA’s $4.5+ million budget, setting SA policies and bylaws, hearing appeals of certain SA decisions, and passing resolutions.
Last year’s senate notably voted to ban certain clubs from associating with third parties (which resulted in a federal lawsuit against SA), raise wages and stipends for SA employees and remove a campaign restriction on SA candidates.
Polls will remain open until 4 p.m. on Friday. Undergraduate students can vote for up to 12 candidates and view candidates’ statements on the SA’s website.
Grant Ashley is the editor in chief and can be reached at grant.ashley@ubspectrum.com
Grant Ashley is the editor in chief of The Spectrum. He's also reported for NPR, WBFO, WIVB and The Buffalo News. He enjoys taking long bike rides, baking with his parents’ ingredients and recreating Bob Ross paintings in crayon. He can be found on the platform formerly known as Twitter at @Grantrashley.
