The spring 2026 Student Government elections set the record for the second-highest voter turnout ever. According to the SG election database, 3,099 students voted in the 2026 election, putting it just behind the 2020 election, which drew 3,324 voters.
Voter turnout in the 2025 election was 1,098 — less than half the number of students who participated this year. The winning ticket, For U, received 1,601 votes — more than double the 701 votes that the 2025 winners, Brand New U, received.
Incoming SG President Fernando Sepúlveda Sagaseta attributes the high voter turnout to both tickets’ campaign strategies.
“We talked to a lot of [organizations],” Sepúlveda Sagaseta said. “We were trying to hear what everyone needed.”
He estimated that For U visited more than 40 student organizations, from fraternity chapters to religious organizations, as well as activity-centered organizations like Hurricane Productions.
“It definitely incentivized me to vote,” EJ Rambau, a member of Hurricane Productions, said. “I didn’t hear anything about either party before they came to present, and I would’ve been less inclined to cast a vote without hearing from them.”
UNITED candidates also attended the meeting. Both tickets talked about their goals and opened the floor to questions from students, according to Rambau.
Candidates reached out to classmates individually to encourage voting. Students responded well to these conversations on both sides
“I was not going to vote originally, but then [Alex Barrowclough] came up during class and asked us to vote for him,” Esha Aman, a classmate of the UNITED VP candidate, said.
For U also tabled throughout the week near the Foote Green, Centennial Village and Mahoney Pearson. They tried to catch every passing student’s attention, and many listened, Sepúlveda Sagaseta recalled.
“When it’s stuff they care about, people will stop and listen,” Sepúlveda Sagaseta said. “Everyone is busy, we get that.”
At the same time, UNITED tabled at Merrick Fountain near the Whitten Learning Center. More than 20 student organizations endorsed them and helped push their message.
“When you go up to people, they are most likely to remember you,” Vanna Smart, a senior, said.
UNITED’s tabling efforts, giveaways and frequent social media posts helped the ticket reach 1,334 Instagram followers — the highest following of any SG campaign in the last six years. Although they did not win, UNITED’s presence on social media was not futile.
“I did think UNITED had a more successful campaign with their social media posts,” Smart said.
While the tickets used new tactics this election, the SG Elections Committee did not. They host the same two events every year before voting starts.
Candidate debates were held at the Rathskeller four days before the elections, and food incentives were given in the Breezeway to people who stopped to vote.
Students who voted in this election also elected Senate Candidates to represent six student groups: College of Arts & Sciences, Miami Herbert Business School, School of Communication, Commuters, Student Employees and Transfers.
Each category received twice as many votes than in 2025. Most notably, the candidates for transfer student senator, who received fewer than 100 votes in the last two years, reached 227 votes this year.
The UNITED ticket declined The Miami Hurricane’s request for comment on its campaign.