Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How many spots are available on the Senate?
There are 34 positions to be elected; President, Vice President, 15 positions are reserved for college representative seats and the remaining are at-large seats.
Aren't there 40 seats on Senate?
Yes, however a total of six seats are reserved and will never appear
on the annual ballot.
Four seats are reserved for students in their first semester at
GVSU. They will be filled by an application and interview process
administered by Student Senate in August/September annually.
One seat is held for a representative from the Graduate Student Association and one seat is held for an international student in coordination with the Padnos International Center; these seats are filled according to the Student Senate bylaws.
Do incumbents keep their seats?
No, all terms are one academic year. Current student senators may run for re-election.
When I vote, do I vote for President and Vice President?
Yes. The elections process changed in 2024 and the President and Vice President are directly voted on by the student body. The remaining Student Senate Cabinet members are elected by the Student Senate body after the general elections of senators take place.
Do I have to serve on a council?
Yes, all elected senators will serve on one of the five councils. Assignments are made by the Cabinet after senators express which committees they are interested in.
Who reads the platform statements of candidates?
Candidate platform statements will be printed in the Lanthorn and are also available on this website during the election cycle.
How long should my platform be?
Due to limited space, platform statements are encouraged to be succinct and to the point. The Elections Commission will provide specific guidance on word count.
Is all of the voting going to be done online?
Yes, voting for Student Senate elections will be open from Monday, March 18- Monday, March 25 at 5 p.m. During this period, all GVSU students can vote once for the candidates of their choice following the ballot guidelines.
Do students run as a Democrat or Republican or member of another party?
No. Student Senate elections are nonpartisan. We encourage students to look through the platforms of all candidates to find those that they support. All students can vote for up to 10 candidates.
If I am elected, when do I start? And how long is my term?
All elected student senators will attend two meetings in the winter semester (April 4 and April 11). Nominations for cabinet will occur on April 4 and elections for cabinet will occur on April 11. The term of senators for the 2024-2025 academic year ends in April of 2025.
What is the Elections Commission?
The Elections Commission is comprised of Student Senators that are not running for re-election. This group is chaired by Senator Sophia Bates and Vice President for Public Relations Selina Martell. They make decisions based on alleged violations of the Campaign Rules & Regulations. They can be contacted at [email protected].