By Vinny Porco

After nearly two months of campaigning and anticipation, four candidates running for positions on SGA’s Top 4 will face a final stretch.

Select candidates for student body president and academic vice president were informed Thursday evening that they may begin campaigning for the upcoming run-off election set to begin Monday, March 23.

U of L’s Student Government Association originally announced Feb. 27 that a run-off would take place for these two positions based on preliminary results made known at that time to all candidates. The post highlighted section 8.4.1 of the SGA Bylaws, which explains that candidates running for Top 4 positions within SGA must receive a plurality of 40% or more of total votes in a given race to win.

A threshold of 40% was not met by any candidate running for the two positions. As a result, the two candidates with the highest vote totals in each race will participate in the run-off election.

For student body president Yash Arabati and Mariana Meneses will continue the campaign effort. For academic vice president, Kamani Killings will be facing Gabriel Reed.

Student Body President

Arabati and Meneses are set to face off for student body president, this time independent of their respective slate members Riley Maddox and Trey Stephens. The executive vice president race involving these two candidates and two others saw a candidate receive a 40% plurality, as well as the race for services vice president.

Arabti currently serves as SGA’s senior director of campus outreach, and aims to make it more transparent and accessible across the board if elected student body president. When asked about the start of run-off campaigning, he told The Cardinal, “It’s been a very long time from when I started running, and I’m excited that the student body gets to voice their opinions again and actually contribute to what the university could be.”

Meneses serves as student president of the College of Business. Her campaign emphasizes her experience contesting student fees such as the Fall 2025 Cards Media Fee, and aims to create opportunities for students’ professional development and increased collaboration between SGA college counsels. “To every student at U of L, this run-off is your chance to help shape a stronger more united campus,” Meneses told The Cardinal. “I encourage you to stay engaged, ask questions to any candidate and vote for the SGA that reflects your values and priorities.”

U of L’s student body president, among many other responsibilities, serves as the only student member of the Board of Trustees.

Academic Vice President

Current SGA senators Killings and Reed will run against each other for academic vice president, each with their own signature idea to improve students’ academic quality of life. Killings plans on expanding her “Textbooks for Tomorrow” drive designed to lower costs and promote sustainability by having students donate their textbooks in exchange for service hours. Reed wants to promote academic transparency by creating an easily-accessible syllabus bank of professors’ and classes’ previous syllabi.

The academic vice president oversees academic functions of SGA and serves as a student representative on the U of L Faculty Senate.

Looking Ahead

Ballots will be sent to students via email in the hours after midnight Monday, March 23. Voting will be open for three days and close at midnight Thursday, March 26.

Complete SGA General Election results are expected to be released in April 2026.

To learn more about each candidate, check out The Louisville Cardinal’s previous SGA coverage in the “News” and “Opinion” sections.

Graphic Courtesy / Student Government Association