This week, Student Council parliamentarian Patrick Van Eyck announced that elections for Student Council Executive Board will be held next month on April 13. 

These elections will fill the six Executive Board positions of StuCo: President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Publicist and Parliamentarian for the upcoming school year.

Student Council is the Upper School-wide organization that plans the annual Spirit Competition, hosts Homecoming Week and the Winter Formal, and strategizes changes for the Upper School. The Executive Board leads the council and the school, and they are charged with making all of those functions run smoothly.

The current StuCo encourages any 9th-12th grade student to run and present their vision for their school. Students must apply to run by filling out the application form available from Ms. Wildes in the science building, providing a copy of a speech and an understanding of their potential responsibilities. All pre-election paperwork must be turned in by Friday, March 24.

This year’s elections will be different in multiple ways. Firstly, the election season will be longer. Application forms were released on Monday the 13th and will be due nearly two weeks later. There will also be a dedicated week of campaigning the week of March 27 and elections will occur after Spring Break.

This was by design, according to Parliamentarian Van Eyck, in order to “promote greater participation and excitement”

It’s expected that this year will feature exciting campaigns as candidates work to win over voters.

Secondly, Executive Board elections will extend over two days. On April 12, all candidates will not only give a speech outlining their priorities, but participate in a town hall style forum where students can ask questions to the candidates and have a robust discussion. Students will vote the next day in advisory.

Student Council also intends on implementing ranked-choice voting for Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates. If more than two candidates seek one of those roles, students will number their choices on their ballot in order of preference. Based on their initial level of support, candidates will gradually be eliminated and voters’ next choices will be allocated until a candidate has majority support.

Van Eyck believes that this will encourage more candidates to run because “they’re not running against their friends and their votes can build on each other.” Student Council approved these changes on Tuesday.

There will be other ways for students to participate in student government as well. Students interested in the role of Operations Director, an appointed role that serves and assists the Exec Board, can apply for the role without running for office. That position will be decided by the Exec Board in late April.

Furthermore, each class is run by their own Class Officers, made up of a President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer, who plan dances and fundraisers for their Senior Gift. Those elections will occur on April 20 and application forms for those elections are available from grade level lead advisors.

Student Council also includes the two class Representatives from each grade. These students provide their voices on school-wide topics and assist StuCo. Forms for representatives are also available from grade level lead advisors and their elections will occur with the Class Officers’.

In short, serving on StuCo or as a Class Officer is an incredible opportunity to share your ideas with your community. The new school year comes with new challenges and opportunities and your peers appreciate all those who help navigate them. In the words of Van Eyck, “it’s an opportunity for people to have a direct influence on the school’s future.” So print your stickers and posters and get campaigning because it’s election season at Saint Stephen’s.