This is the first in series of stories covering the 2019 ASUNM Elections.
Three senators — all of which are or have been chairs — and an agency director with a recognizable name are running for leadership of the Associated Students of the University of New Mexico.
Lobo Spirit Director Adam Biederwolf is running against Steering & Rules Committee Chair Mohammad Assed for president, while former finance committee chair Madelyn Lucas is running against current finance chair Holly Gallegos for vice president.
Assed and Gallegos have said they are running together, while Biederwolf and Lucas are doing the same. That leaves open the possibility of a president and vice president from separate unofficial slates holding office together.
President and vice president are elected in separate elections held during the same three-day period from March 25 to the 27, according to the ASUNM Elections Commissions.
The ASUNM President is responsible for managing the eight student service agencies, according to the ASUNM constitution. That includes governmental affairs who lobby the New Mexico State Legislature for student issues such the lottery scholarship.
The president also sits on the Student Fee Review Board, an advisory committee that, ultimately, makes suggestions to the Board of Regents about how student fees should be spent and whether they should be increased.
On the other hand, the vice president acts as president of the ASUNM Senate. That position is responsible for appointing committee chairs, training new senators on parliamentary procedures and has the ability to issue demerits, which can revoke a senator's ability to vote.
This election cycle comes after one of the closest presidential elections in ASUNM history in 2017, followed by an uncontested bid in 2018.
Noah Brooks narrowly beat Gabe Gallegos in 2017 in an election that saw a record turnout of over 2,400 voters. The four-person race resulted in Brooks winning by 40 votes.
The following year Becka Myers and Emily Wilks ran unopposed.
Candidates for president and vice president are set to engage in debate on Monday, March 18. The event is hosted by the ASUNM Elections Commission.
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Senate elections take place in April.
Justin Garcia is a staff reporter for the Daily Lobo. He primarily covers student government. He can be contacted at news@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @Just516garc.
