Both Student Government parties saw a large drop in students interviewing to run for a Senate seat compared to last year.
A total of 33 students interviewed to run with either Impact Party or Inspire Party for Senate seats based on residential locations for the first day of interviews Thursday, according to the Supervisor of Elections Henry Fair. Interviews will continue 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. today and Tuesday.
Only 19 interviewed with Inspire Party and 14 with Impact Party, which were the only political organizations interviewing. No independent candidates registered.
The total is a drop from the 139 — 96 for Impact and 43 for Inspire — who showed to the first day of senate-canadidate selection interviews in Fall 2017, according to Alligator archives.
The Challenge Party, which was launched last Spring after former Senate President pro-tempore Janae Moodie resigned and disaffiliated from Impact Party, was nowhere in sight.
Wayne Selogy, the former Challenge Party campaign manager, said the party didn’t register because Inspire Party “has picked up the mantel that we started.”
A platform of “inclusivity, accountability and transparency” brought Matthew Diaz, a 20-year-old UF political science junior, to interview with Inspire Party as a District D candidate. The party has strong values that align with his own, he said.
“I think that talking to different clubs around campus and making sure we as a party have a presence in all these different places and with diverse people is really important,” Diaz said.
Shaan Patel, an 18-year-old UF finance freshman, said he first heard about Impact Party this summer and wants to run as an Infinity Hall senator.
During his interview, Patel said he and Impact Party members talked about the problems students have with finding parking. He said that the discussion showed how knowledgeable the party is on issues that students care about.
“The change is for the students,” Patel said. “It helps the lifestyle of the students here.”
Contact Gillian Sweeney at gsweeney@alligator.org and follow her on Twitter at @gilliangsweeney
