By Sarah Mcsparin

For years, countless student candidates running for Student Government Association offices at the University of Louisville have campaigned through slates. Historically, those who have won top positions ran on slates. But despite the growing use and influence of slates, SGA elections were originally set up to elect individuals and not slates.

Even to this day, SGA ballots do not recognize or enable voters to select entire slates into office nor does SGA require that candidates form or join slates. Yet, year after year slates continue to appear.

Slates can consist of anywhere between four to over 50 students. Generally, slates are formed around the four candidates running for the top four positions in SGA: president, executive vice president, academic vice president and services vice president.

Already, three slates have formed for the upcoming 2007 SGA election.

“The point of joining a slate is for name recognition and association,” said current SGA Senate Speaker Maria Wimsatt. “So the executive officers receive a bigger benefit than those running for their respective colleges,” said Wimsatt, a senior marketing major, who ran last year as an independent for senator for the College of Business.

“I would not say a slate is necessary to win, but it certainly helps, or else you would not see candidates doing it year after year,” said current SGA Executive Vice President Brian Hoffman, a junior political science major.

Hoffman, a candidate for SGA president, heads a slate which includes vice presidential candidates sophomore Rudy Spencer, a political science major; junior Matt Flairty, a political science major and junior Kate Brueggeman, also a political science major.

The “Progressive Slate” is headed by Randy Johnson, a business student; Chris Seals, a junior; Khala Granville, a junior communication and psychology major and freshman Demetrius Simmons contending for vice presidential positions.

“Whenever you have a team, you have more ideas,” said Seals, a junior psychology major. “The only downside to being on a slate would be if people were close-minded and didn’t give their candidates a chance before they vote.”

Another slate, led by biology graduate student, Mark Glickman of the Student Activities Board, includes senior art major Dan Blakeman and sophomore Matt Pulley, a civil engineering major, for vice presidents. Glickman would not release the name of the third vice presidential candidate.

“To really accomplish anything you need somewhat of a consensus. It’s important to have like-minded people going in the same direction,” said Glickman, a junior biology major.

Part of all three slates are also a host of students candidates who are seeking senator or council positions of the various colleges at U of L such as Arts & Sciences, Speed School and the College of Business.

To the knowledge of the students involved in the election, there are no independent candidates running for the presidential or vice presidential positions, but there are several students independent of a slate who are running for senator this year.