With the 2025 Associated Student Government Presidential Debate set for Wednesday at 5 p.m., candidates are preparing their campaigns to build support ahead of the big day.
ASG holds a presidential election each year in the Winter Quarter. Candidates can run in teams as co-presidents, as president and vice president or as president alone.
This year, the candidate teams are as follows: McCormick junior James La Fayette Jr. and Weinberg sophomore Jamal Omoniyi; Weinberg sophomore Benjamin Griesmeyer and Weinberg sophomore Tulsi Patel; Medill sophomore John Sisco and SESP sophomore Gauri Adarsh; and Weinberg sophomore Eshaan Chandani and Weinberg sophomore Aryan Kalluvila.
ASG required each candidate to submit their intention to pre-campaign, which is the period when candidates develop a platform without non-verbal or electronic campaigning. Instead, they can pre-campaign by meeting with students, creating non-public promotional materials and recruiting campaign personnel.
Their submissions to pre-campaign were due on Jan. 29 to the Election Commission, the body of ASG that establishes election guidelines and ensures a fair and free election process.
“We don’t start from scratch,” SESP sophomore and Election Commissioner Eliza Marcus said. “We definitely saw a lot of what went wrong last year, and so we keep the past elections in mind when we go over the (election guidelines).”
To appear on the ballot, students must submit the following to the Election Commission: a record of 200 to 300 signatures from NU undergraduate students; a signed consent form confirming that they have read and will abide by all election guidelines; and a list of all campaign personnel serving under them.
The candidates had until Sunday at 7 p.m. to submit all materials to the Election Commission, and campaigning began at that time for those who had submitted the required materials.
During the official campaigning period, candidates can publicly promote their campaign through written materials and digital platforms like social media, websites and emails. Candidates are required to create new social media accounts for their campaign, and all campaigning activities must be carried out by the candidate or their team.
Candidates during the 2024 ASG Presidential Elections, like Weinberg senior Nicole Aguilar-Medina, found the election process to be difficult.
“(The election process) felt overwhelming in such a short period of time,” Aguilar-Medina said.
Aguilar-Medina added that if she had to go through the process again, she would plan further ahead and organize a more solidified support team.
Regarding the debate itself, Aguilar-Medina emphasized the importance of not rushing into responses when faced with unexpected questions.
“You’re essentially a public figure in the sense that people will be entitled to ask you anything they want to,” Aguilar-Medina said. “Just be patient and give yourself grace because you don’t know what to expect.”
Weinberg junior and Speaker of the Senate Grace Houren said that although the election process can seem daunting, she finds it most helpful to “put yourself out there” and seek support from your team.
“I think the people who are dedicated enough are the people who deserve to be on the ballot,” Houren said.
This year, the debate will be co-hosted by The Daily and Northwestern News Network at the McCormick Foundation Center, with a live broadcast available to all. Anyone wishing to attend in person is welcome to.
Beginning Feb. 6 at 7 p.m., NU students can vote on Wildcat Connection until Feb. 8 at 7 p.m., when election results will be announced.
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