Candidates running for executive and senator positions in Student Government have begun campaigning for office. Voting will open on The Link at 12 p.m. on April 9 and students can cast their votes until 11:59 a.m. on April 10.
There are four executive offices on this year’s ballot — student body president, speaker of the house, treasurer and secretary. Senior Jackson Buttler, Michael Walsh, Tim Erday and Marta Zach currently hold these positions, respectively. Their term will end on the last day of classes on May 1, and the new officers will assume their positions.
This is the second year that the Elections Commission, an independent group of students not involved in Student Government, will oversee the election. According to the Elections Packet, which details the rules and regulations of the elections, the group is responsible for “[ensuring] that the elections are fair and equitable, [enforcing] all campaign rules, and [investigating] and [addressing] all campaign violations.”
“We take our role seriously and look forward to a smooth election season,” Chair of the Elections Commission Claire Hopkins said.
Student Body President Jackson Buttler expressed his excitement for the next Student Government leaders.
“The upcoming year promises to be a defining one for our community, with the 2024 national election, the continued redevelopment of Beatty Street and ongoing university changes setting the stage for impactful leadership,” Buttler said. “I have high hopes for the next executive board, whoever they may be, to navigate these challenges and lead our student body through these particularly challenging times.”
Here are the candidates for the 2024 Student Government (SG) elections.
President
Junior Hannah Elluru is running uncontested for study body president. In a written statement, she shared that her platform can be broken down into three main categories.
“My platform is student-centered, focusing on three main points: uplifting student voices, fostering diversity, equity and inclusion and prioritizing Pro Humanitate,” Elluru said. “My vision for our university champions building relationships and community on and off campus; all with the aim to keep Wake Forest moving forward. I am passionate about being an advocate for my peers and want to usher in a new and impactful chapter at Wake Forest.”
Speaker of the House
Like Elluru, Speaker of the House Candidate Wyatt Strassmann is running uncontested. He explained that his experience in Student Government helped him identify key aspects of Wake Forest that he could improve as speaker of the house.
“Since my freshman year, being involved in various Student Government leadership roles has given me a unique perspective on representing the student body,” Strassmann said. “There’s a lot of work to do, and as speaker of the house, I will connect SG to our community, make our campus more accessible and sustainable and improve the student experience. I’m excited about this election and the opportunity to fight for each and every member of our community as I have been for the last three years.”
Treasurer
Juniors Shelby Balmer and Micah Bozkurtian are running to be the Student Government treasurer. Balmer explained that although she is away from Wake Forest’s campus this semester participating in Wake Washington, her community at Wake Forest has provided strong support for her campaign.
“I’m really passionate about Student Government and [the Student Budget Advisory Committee (SBAC)],” Balmer said. “I’ve been working with the current Treasurer as his Deputy Director of Finance this year, so I feel confident in my ability to handle the role if I’m elected.”
She continued: “My main election platform is diversifying SBAC and creating more pathways to funding. I really want to reach out to organizations and groups on campus that feel underserved and underrepresented, so everything I have done in my campaign is meant to welcome as many people as possible into what can be an intimidating world!”
Bozkurtian stated that he would prioritize balance as treasurer.
“Empowering clubs with ample funding while keeping Student Government approachable and casual is my mission as treasurer,” Bozkurtian said. “Let’s strike that balance — we’re in college, not Congress.”
Secretary
There are two candidates for the secretary position — junior Bayla Sheshadri and sophomore Blake Sterling. Sheshadri expressed that she would prioritize students in her five-point platform.
“I am grateful to have the opportunity to run for Student Government secretary,” Sheshadri said. “Throughout my three years in Student Government, I have learned to be a passionate advocate for students and a strong leader. As secretary, my priority would be you.”
She continued: “My platform consists of five major points: increasing student engagement and access to Student Government (both [the executive board] and senators), bettering collaboration with student organizations, prioritizing student safety, bettering campus accessibility and getting important information from the administration to students promptly.”
Sterling stated that communication is crucial for a successful secretary.
“In my upcoming campaign for [Wake Forest] Student Government secretary, I am deeply passionate about incorporating energy and enthusiasm into our leadership journey,” Sterling said. “I want to not only increase Student Government participation but promote diversity by celebrating our unique identities through fostering increased communication between SG and various clubs around campus.”
She continued: “External communication is just one way to improve SG, [and] I would love to also strengthen current relationships between the SG governing body and its various affiliate branches of the [SBAC] and Student Organizations Judicial Assembly (SOJA). I know next year will be wonderful, let’s do it together!”
Class Senators
Alongside voting for executive officers, students will have the opportunity to choose their class senators. Here are the candidates for senators
Class of 2025
- Lillie Davenport
- Maureen Murray
- Stella Ross
Class of 2026
- Salvatore Cascio
- Nandini Dube
- Theresa Murphy
- Samantha Servin
- Amaya Williams
Class of 2027
- Shrihan Atluri
- Hailey Auster
- Kaitlyn Bernas
- Ayden Boucher
- Maddox Braue
- Jazlynn Carela
- Dylan Flack
- Mary Brooks Hall
- Cate Hardin
- Angela Jung
- Eliza Kalina
- Emily Kilgallen
- Kevin Lee
- Evan Lichtenstein
- Thomas Long
- Gray Lowder
- Maximillian Mattiko
- Carter McDonald
- Camille Rogers
- Hanna Shakarov
- Alex Shen
- Jaxson Williams
The results of the elections will be announced by Student Government on April 10 after 12 p.m. Students can hear more from candidates running for executive offices at the candidate’s debate at 7 p.m. on April 7 in the ZSR auditorium.
Correction, April 3: A previous version of this story identified Student Government secretary candidate Blake Sterling as a junior, when her correct classification is a sophomore. This information has since been updated.
