Fall Student Government elections have already happened at the University of Miami, and it seems like the student body didn’t notice.
Student Government’s 2026 fall election results were announced at the Rathskeller on Thursday, Sept. 17. Each fall, new senators campaign for political office and rely on us for their support, and this year more than 50 students ran for Senate seats.
As a reflection of the student voice at UM, students on campus should care more about Student Government and who is leading it.
Elections Chair Ava Stroshane says voter turnout increased by 50% this year compared to last fall.
“I was so excited when I saw we had 687 voters for our election and increased our voter turnout as this meant we were able to get more people involved with student government and our processes,” said Stroshane.
Despite the increase, only about 6% of the 12,000 undergraduate students actually voted.
Freshman Andrea Padron said she did not vote due to a lack of information.
“I didn’t see a lot of notice about voting. It seemed like there wasn’t much circulating on campus about it, or ways on how to vote,” she said.
By voting in elections, and spreading the word about them, students prioritize our civic duties and advocate for the election of individuals we believe will best represent us during our time on campus.
Last year’s spring elections received the second-highest number of votes ever, with a total of 1,098 votes recorded. February 2019 during the presidential election, was the highest voter turnout in history, with 3,857 voters.
In that election, the “Empower U” group contributed to increased engagement in athletic events, free feminine hygiene products in campus bathrooms and developing a study space at the Rat.
Clearly, Student Government has the power to improve our daily lives, and students should want to have a say in who leads that charge.
With initiatives like those frequently being pushed by Student Government, their efforts deserve our recognition and endorsement, and so do the fall elections. Patterns show higher turnout for presidential elections in the spring, but, like real life, senate elections carry a lot of power too.
The newest senators are pushing for more engagement with their peers.
Sophomore senator Alouna Alincy worked to get her campaign noticed by creating an Instagram profile with her mission statement, contact information and details regarding an event she hosted titled “Caffeine and Complaints” to hear about student concerns on campus.
“I just wanted them to have a place to vocalize issues they’ve been having at school and I was able to learn so much that I didn’t know previously,” Alincy said.
Student Government is here to stay and to fulfill students’ wants and needs as best it can. More engagement with the organization is the least we can do, especially since their policies affect us as students. .
The organization invites people to attend its open senate meetings every Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. on the third floor of the Shalala Student Center.
Every new group of leaders has the potential to make a big difference in the school, and it is our job as students to support them in these endeavors.