As student government campaign season begins at the University of Arizona, student interest appears concentrated at the top of the ballot.
While presidential campaigns are drawing attention and energy, several senate seats remain vacant, revealing an imbalance between executive prestige and legislative participation within the Associated Students of the University of Arizona. Adam Riley, elections commissioner for ASUA, notes that this year’s race reflects that divide.
“We’re actually seeing a dramatic decrease in terms of candidates turning out, particularly in our Senate elections,” Riley said. “A majority of the focus seems to be in our presidential election.”
With ASUA President Adriana Grijalva concluding her term, students appear especially invested in who will lead ASUA next. Riley described this time as a transitional period.
“She had a clear incumbency advantage in the last election cycle,” Riley said. “Now there’s essentially a vacuum. Whoever replaces her will either follow in her footsteps or take ASUA in a dramatically different direction.”
Despite optimism earlier in the cycle, senate turnout remains low, with multiple vacancies still needing to be filled.
Executive positions often carry greater visibility and prestige, something College of Medicine Senator Alexander Jauregui Galarza believes shapes student ambition.
“Students largely aim high due to how prominent and impressive the executive positions sound,” Jauregui Galarza said. “While in reality much of the work and change makers come from the direct representation of senators to their college, just missing a fancy title.”
Others see a broader issue.
“It seems there is a growing disconnect between the student body and student government at UA,” Louise Taylor, College of Humanities senator, said. “Increasingly more students don’t show the same drive to be active in their campus community than in previous years.”
Riley attributes part of the divide to national political tensions spilling onto campus. Issues such as the rollback of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility initiatives and the presidential compact have shaped advocacy priorities and student engagement.
“There is a culture of voter apathy,” Riley said. “Students are hyper focused on academics and extracurriculars. But ASUA does incredibly valuable work in terms of programs, services and campus safety.”
Still, turnout numbers show some progress. Since COVID-19, participation in ASUA elections has trended upward. According to Riley, last year, approximately 28,000 students voted.
“Our primary objective is to maximize turnout,” Riley said. “We want to continue that upward trend and ensure every student has their voice heard.”
To boost engagement, the elections commission plans expanded outreach through social media and in person tabling events across campus, including targeted efforts within individual colleges.
As campaigning continues, the question remains whether excitement surrounding the presidential race will translate into broader participation across ASUA or whether senate vacancies signal a deeper shift in how students engage with campus leadership.
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