After three weeks of campaigning and a five-hour trial, the SGA election is over. Victoria Allen won with nearly 57 percent of the vote over opponent Philip Moore.

“I’m extraordinarily humbled,” said Allen. “This feels like the type of thing that’s almost impossible to do, and I look forward to getting to know them as people and as leaders…it’s going to be fun.”

The rest of the Top Four, however, is filled with candidates from the opposing slate, leading to questions of how the new administration will work together.

“We all have to work together, so I think it will be a really fun opportunity for all of us,” said  Academic Vice President-elect Alex Stewart. “Philip put a ton of work into this, and I know Victoria will do a great job.”

The Cardinal sat down with the incoming Top Four to discuss the election results and to look ahead to next year.

“It was definitely super exciting just to see people actually care about (the election),” said Stewart. “With the results, the only thing you can be is excited. It is what it is.”

“I think it’s been a much more friendly election,” said Allen.

Brandt agreed, saying that past elections have brought outside issues such as family or background into the discussion.

If the election was better than years past, why the low turnout this year? Only about eight percent of the 22,000-person student body voted this year.

“Hands down, two snow days,” said Allen.

“It was a huge turnout, I thought,” added Executive Vice President-elect Caitlin Durgin, who felt that the snow days and the mood after last year’s election would lower voting rates.

Despite the snow, the incoming Top Four agreed that turnout should have been higher.

“You look at the populations who vote, it’s white students and Greek life,” Allen said, adding that avenues could be opened to increase turnout.

“I wish that more students did vote for student government,” said Services Vice President-elect Kaylee Brandt. “Something’s gotta change. It needs to get bigger.”

The group said that they would want to improve elections by removing flyers and reorganizing the slate system, among other things. Allen mentioned that it is often senate candidates who are affected by the penalties incurred after end-of-election court cases. This year, one senate candidate lost because of the court case results.

Looking beyond the elections, the incoming Top Four is already planning their next moves.

“I think that something that Victoria had planned is just to get us to meet the people that are in our positions now, and then also to maybe reach back (to past candidates),” said Durgin.

“We don’t want to be redundant,” said Allen. “We want to see what to continue and what didn’t work for them.”

“It’s going to be important to have a realistic parameter of what we want to do.”

Stewart mentioned that Allie Funk, the current Academics Vice President, has invited him to meetings so he can learn the ropes. Brandt has similar meetings planned with Morgan Cooksey.

The group also addressed how they would react to issues that will carry over from past SGA leadership — and which may get in the way of new priorities. One recent example is the fight over the SAC renovations.

“We’re gonna be in the fourth year of discussing it,” said Allen of the situation. “The new administration will take it. We have a pretty concrete plan.”

They do not plan on letting old issues stop any new initiatives, though.

“That academic building is going up no matter what,” said Brandt. “So, we’ll have to make sure that students get what they need in that.”

Stewart said he is already working with Funk and the Career Center on streamlining the process of students getting internships and mentorships.

“We have the technology for it, so we just need to get the faculty on board,” he said.

Allen also saw the need to work with graduate students going forward.

“Graduate students make up 45 percent of campus,” she said. “The grad schools are always the most vocal. It’s going to be very important that we work with them.”

Allen mentioned graduate student space and ticketing issues, which are similar to undergraduate priorities, are areas she sees herself working with the graduate schools.

“It’s really important that all 22,000 students are accounted for,” said Allen.

Stewart, on the other hand, has a goal of bringing boutiques and bars to the area around campus, creating more of a classic college town.

“I think that’s something that will really push our university into the ACC,” he said.

Overall, the incoming Top Four wanted to make an effort to get more people interested and involved in SGA.

“Everyone is part of SGA,” said Stewart. “I really want to develop a culture of ‘if you want to see something, let’s make it happen.'”

“We also have to make that accessible,” added Allen. “It’s going to be really important that we create those avenues.”

Brandt thought adding a personal touch would encourage involvement.

“I just want students to know that we are fun, approachable humans,” she said. “I would want students to know that we are here because we want to be here for you.”

Durgin agreed with the group, saying that education from orientation on is critical for participation.

“I would really want to create a 100 percent investment from the University of Louisville standpoint,” said Durgin.

“More than any other public university in the state, U of L is very open,” said Allen. “It’s not that you have to know people, you just have to have the interest. You don’t have to have a prerequisite to try.”

For full election results, see here.