Let the races begin.
Seventeen undergraduates announced their candidacies for the six Duke Student Government executive offices Thursday, and no candidate will run unopposed.
"I'm extremely ecstatic at the notion of a fully contested DSG executive election," said DSG President C.J. Walsh.
Juniors Brady Beecham, Emily Grey, Joshua Jean-Baptiste, Ari Medoff and Josh Weiner are running for president. Beecham is president of the Duke University Union, Grey is the DSG legislative pro tempore, Jean-Baptiste is DSG vice president for student affairs, Medoff is a former co-chair of the Student Alcohol Information Committee and Weiner is a DSG legislator.
Juniors Justin Ford and Jason Joannou will vie for executive vice president. Ford is the president of Duke Delivery Services and Joannou is a member of the Friends of Duke University Libraries executive committee.
In the race for vice president for academic affairs, juniors Lyndsey Beal and Dave Chokshi, as well as sophomores Avery Reaves and Mary Helen Wimberly are all pursuing the post. Beal is vice president of administration of Kappa Alpha Theta sorority, Chokshi is chair of the Honor Council, Reaves is a DSG legislator and Wimberly is a former member of East Campus Council.
Junior Thaniyyah Ahmad and freshman Eileen Kuo will square off for vice president for community interaction. Both are DSG legislators.
Meanwhile, sophomore Clifford Davison and freshman Jake Flomenberg, both DSG legislators, will contend for vice president for facilities and athletics.
Black Student Alliance President Troy Clair, a junior, and DSG legislator Alex Neijelow, a sophomore, are the only two candidates for vice president for student affairs.
DSG has not run an executive election without controversy or a run-off since 1996. Last year, confusion over by-laws prompted DSG attorney general Jessica Budoff to call for a run-off. Through closer examination, however, the run-off between presidential candidates Walsh and Sean Young was called off, and Walsh declared the winner.
This year's legislative election was also marked with controversy, as Davison was declared a winner in both the North Campus and East Campus races, although he was only running for the North spot. After being informed of the error, a 12th freshman was added to the Legislature.
The election will take place Feb. 28. Candidates are permitted to start campaigning Feb. 18.
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