Written by Tatyana Phelps, Copy Editor

SGA elections are approaching and students can prepare to vote on April 16 at 12:01 a.m.

The open positions for the election are president, vice president, comptroller and secretary. There are also 40 senate seats up for election.

Students can attend the SGA’s executive branch debate in the

Student Union Theater at 7 p.m. on April 15 to get informed on the candidates’ thoughts and plans. Results will be announced on April 20 at 6 p.m.

SGA President Tyler Barker stresses the importance of student participation in the elections.

“It is important for students to participate in the SGA elections due to every students’ opinion and voice being of great importance in terms of their experience at VSU,” Barker said. “It is also important because the SGA officers and senators are elected officials entrusted by the student body to serve as the liaison between the student body and VSU Administration.

“As a student, you want SGA officials that you can trust to make the best recommendations on behalf of the student body, and fulfill their duties and responsibilities to the best of their ability,” Barker said.

Campaigning is in full swing, as many candidates have started promoting themselves for this year’s elections. As of right now, candidates are only allowed to passive campaign, which is defined as “non-verbal, non-physical activities that attempt to persuade voters toward a certain cause or candidate in the SGA election.”

This includes social media invitations, signs and flyers.

Among these candidates is sophomore Maya Mapp, who is running for a senate seat for the second consecutive year.

“(I’ve been) making flyers and asking if others would post them on their social media sites,” Mapp said. “I just want to get my name out there in a positive manner and make sure the students know that I care. Being an SGA senator is not about me; it’s about being that liaison between the faculty leadership and students, and bettering our community.”