Vision, Change, and Watch Party have laid out their plans for tackling food insecurity, establishing elections and supporting minority groups and initiatives on campus. On Tuesday and Wednesday, students will cast their ballots to decide which party they want to be in control of the next year of policy decisions.
This election cycle, students will vote on Student Body President, vice president, treasurer and 50 student senators representing academic colleges. Election results are announced late Wednesday.
How to vote
Preparing to vote is simple. From 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, students must have a valid ID and have their Gator one card, or know their UF ID number to cast their ballots at eight polling stations across campus:
- The Reitz Student Union Print Lab - 686 Museum Road
- Norman Education Library - 618 SW 12th St.
- Health Science Center Library - 1249 Center Drive
- Heavener Hall - 1325 West University Ave.
- Law School Commons - 309 Village Drive
- Southwest Recreation Center - 3150 Hull Road
- Keys Complex - 2191 Stadium Road
- Cypress Hall - 1310 Museum Road
Vision Party aims to address mental health, food insecurity
Vision, which holds the current majority in Student Senate, has slated Senate President Blake Cox as its presidential candidate, Junior Class Vice President Jade Gonzalez as Cox’s running mate and Deputy Chief of Staff to the Student Body Vice President Johanna Moncy as treasurer.
The party’s platform focuses on bolstering mental health initiatives and tackling food insecurity. Its platform said the ticket will expand the Field and Fork Pantry and launch an initiative called “Food-For-Fitness,” which allows students to exchange canned food donations for guest passes at Southwest Recreation Center.
Vision also plans to work with Graduate Assistants United to ensure graduate and professional student organizations have access to student government funding.
Change Party prioritizes minority group initiatives, 24/7 Marston
Change Party, which holds the minority in Student Senate, is running ex-Minority Party Leader Anamika Naidu as its presidential candidate, co-founder and ex-Chairperson of the Pan-Asian Caucus Joaquin Marcelino as Naidu’s running mate and Minority Party Leader Max Banach for treasurer.
Change is focused on supporting student minority groups on campus, restoring Marston Science Library’s 24/7 model and addressing affordable housing issues for graduate students through a rent relief program.
The party also aims to reallocate funds from programs such as ACCENT Speakers Bureau and Student Government Productions to student-run organizations.
Watch Party wants fair elections for all
Watch Party, founded last semester to advocate for fair elections, is running its first executive ticket. Party founder ex-Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Alfredo Ortiz is running for student body president and UF student Ajay Pooran is his running mate. The party doesn’t have a candidate for treasurer.
One of the party’s top policy goals is to reverse the Vision-backed redistricting of the voting map.
The revised at-large map, passed in 2023, merged five districts — one that historically voted for the minority party, one swing district and three that were majority-leaning.
Watch Party additionally wants to establish voting locations at UF satellite campuses and provide $250 in base campaign funding to parties in future election cycles to reduce financial disparities in campaign funding.
Contact Michael Angee at mangee@alligator.org. Follow him on X at michaelangee.
Michael Angee is a second-year journalism major and the Student Government reporter. When he's not at the Gainesville Sun building, he enjoys cooking and listening to music with friends.
