Every year at the beginning of the College’s fall semester, the new first-year class votes to elect leaders of their class to Student Assembly (SA). The results of this year’s SA Class of 2023 elections were announced on the evening of Sept. 8.
Juliet Davidson ’23 was elected as the Class of 2023 President. Nicole Ramirez ’23 was elected as the Class Treasurer. The Class will be further represented by their four Class Representatives: Frank Meng ’23, Nyaari Kothiya ’23, Omar Lopez ’23, and Emily Fienco ’23.
The election process began before the fall semester was underway. Though the actual voting took place over the course of a few days once classes started, the election was first announced to the Class of 2023 on Aug. 26 via email. SA also held an ice cream truck and photobooth event on Sadove Terrace for the Class of 2023 on Aug. 27, catered by Gloria’s Ice Cream. At this event, SA President Amanda Kim ’21 and SA Vice President Jiin Jeong ’21 met the new first-years and spoke with some of the students interested in running for a position on the Assembly.
“It was a really great event and we’re extremely grateful to Student Activities and Tessa Chefalo for their partnership,” Kim said. “The first-years are all insanely qualified and super excited to get involved, so getting to meet all of them and hand out ice cream on a hot day was really rewarding.”
Kim also believes the event was a success in that it generated greater interest in the elections.
“Every position was contested this election, which I think says a lot about the Class of 2023,” Kim said.
Two students ran for the Class President position, three for Class Treasurer, and eight for four Class Representative spots. All candidates on the ballot were required to attend an election rules meeting, submit signatures from their peers, and write platforms for their campaigns.
The polls opened on Friday, Sept. 6 at midnight. First-years could vote online or in person at the SA table at the Student Activities & Organizations Fair on the Dunham Green. 305 students voted in the main election. A run-off election was then held the following morning, as two representatives had received an equal number of votes. Overall, 522 votes were cast in total. SA reported that there was high competition and many positions were decided by narrow margins.
The new leaders say they take their new positions on SA with excitement and look forward to contributing new ideas for how to improve Hamilton’s community. Ramirez spoke of her past experience as the treasurer of her high-school, saying this experience contributed to her decision to run for Treasurer for the Class of 2023.
“I decided to become involved in SA because representation has always been my favorite form of leadership. I wanted to continue as a part of the student board in extension to my high school career as treasurer,” Ramirez said.
When asked about her goals for the semester, Ramirez stated her desire to “facilitate the designation of funds to new, or pre-existing, clubs […] and bring strategies that will be cost-effective for budgeting, yet will support each club’s agenda for the upcoming year.”
SA meets on Mondays at 8:30 PM in the Sadove Conference Room. All are welcome to join and voice their questions and concerns to their elected representatives.
