While some students who walked into the Reitz Union knew which Student Government Party they were going to run, or slate, with in the Fall 2015 elections, Anneke Wenzel remained uncertain.
The 19-year-old recently transferred to UF from Gulf Coast State College in Panama City.
"I want to spend today talking to the parties," the biochemistry junior said.
On Tuesday, UF SG began the interview process for students looking to qualify for the Fall 2015 elections to fill 50 UF Student Senate seats based on students’ residential locations.
Students can register with Access Party, with Impact Party or as an independent candidate.
At the end of the day, 50 students slated with Impact, 13 with Access and one as independent, UF Supervisor of Elections Sam Book wrote in an email.
During the Fall 2014 elections, the first day of slating saw a record-low turnout with only 11 students slating with Swamp Party.
No students slated with Swamp Party this semester, a majority party formed in 2012.
Swamp didn’t register for slating, and many Swamp senators have publicly expressed their support for Impact and say they are planning to switch.
Impact Party President Chris Boyett said Impact is not a rebranding of Swamp Party.
To qualify to slate, students must be full-time students, have proof of residency and show their UFID, Book said.
Students must prove their residency by providing either certified mail delivered by postal service, an Alachua County voter registration card, an original copy of a lease, an original copy of a utility or cable bill prior to qualifying, an original copy of a promissory note or a lease from a fraternity or sorority house, an original copy of homeowner’s insurance, or an original copy of a warranty deed.
Slating continues today from noon to 8 p.m., Friday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
In the Spring, 37 students qualified and slated on the first day, with 18 students each slating with Access and Swamp parties, and one who slated as an independent, according to Alligator archives.
Access Party President Kalyani Hawaldar said she hopes as many students as possible participate.
Boyett said he thinks students will join Impact.
Rodel Enderez, an engineering sophomore, slated with Access.
Serving as a replacement senator during the Summer term made him decide to slate for Fall, the 19-year-old said. He said he wanted to see what goes on in SG and make changes.
"Access has the right mindset," Enderez said.
Shannon O’Neara said she slated with Impact.
"I just wanted to see where my money was going," the 20-year-old nutrition junior said.
Contact Caitlin Ostroff at costroff@alligator.org and follow her on Twitter @ceostroff
