Campaign slogans have been tossed and committees formed for the Student Government presidential elections, which will take place Tuesday, April 1, in the MSC.
In addition to the presidential voting, a vice-president and a comptroller will be elected as well.
The presidential election has been the main focus of the elections with three strong candidates: James Durant, Johnie Jones, III, and Jemiah Richards. The vice-president position has two candidates, Alena Savoie and Kenneth Grimes while Kameron Whitfield is the only candidate for comptroller.
“I think we have a great cast of candidates,” said Andre Evans, current SGA president. “Each person has strengths and weaknesses. They need to capitalize on the foundation that has already been laid and take the organization to new heights,” he continued.
Durant, a senior from Houston, Texas, will be a graduate student next school year.
“My whole day can be dedicated to taking care of business. Monday thru Friday, I will be available, even Saturday and Sunday, 24/7, 365 days a year,” Durant said.
According to Durant, he has the experience and the love for Prairie View A & M University to be a good SGA president.
“I am the oldest member of SGA. I have sat on the senate for four years,” he said. “My love for PV sets me apart. I bleed purple and gold. The only thing my heart pumps is purple and gold and I believe that makes a significant difference,” Durant continued.
Durant plans to increase student morale through spirit clubs and providing ample transportation services to off-campus football games, the grocery store and the airport.
He plans to make Prairie View more student-friendly and “decrease the fluff between administration and the student body,” he said.
“I’m ready to take over. I’ve sat on large committees, pretty much any committee that deals with rules and regulations, budgets, etc. I know how to compromise with administration without giving up the needs of the students,” Durant said.
Candidate Johnie Jones III is a junior from Hope, Ark., who said it was in his heart to run for SGA president.
“I feel the students need a representative who is truly concerned with the students and not their own modus operandi,” said Jones.
Jones wants to upgrade the quality of services students deal with on a daily basis such as maintenance, financial aid’s customer service, the MSC, and shuttle services.
“These are issues where action can really be taken versus promises that people are making to students that can’t actually be delivered,” he said.
Jones prides himself on being active now rather than once in office.
“What separates me from the other candidates is that they are promising this and ‘I’m going to do that once I get into office,’ but my question is what are you doing while you aren’t in office? The issues that I’m talking about are issues that I’m working on now. Why wouldn’t you vote for someone who is already working on the issues versus someone who is simply ‘promising’ results once in office,” Jones said.
Jones says he is ready to pick up where Evans leaves off.
“I’m ready to take what he started and run with it. I want to take it to a new level though. There’s no sense in reinventing the wheel, but I want to make changes through vibrant ideas and policies that work,” he said.
Lastly, candidate Jemiah Richards is a senior accounting major from Kountze, Texas, and he wants a unified and gathered community.
“I realized the power we can have as a university if we become unified and gathered not only in the community but in the state, the nation, and the world,” Richards said.
Richards is dedicated to increasing student morale through events and education.
“I want to enlighten students on the positions they can have within the community and the power that comes through unifying and gathering. Also, I want them to see the power in voter registration, participation, and turn-out,” he said.
As coordinator of the most recent march, Richards pointed out the successes as direct results of the march.
“Due to a successful march, we had the largest voter turn out in Prairie View and Waller County history as a student body. We put two of the candidates of the students’ choice in office. I’ve already talked to Colonel Pearson and during the next Panther camp each person will receive a voter registration card as well as sample voter registration card,” Richard said.
Richards says that he is a leader who leads by example.
“Whatever I say transpires into positive results. I’m very approachable and I take pride in Prairie View and minority communities,” he said. “Not only do I want to change Prairie View, but I want to impact the minority society,” he continued.
Voting will take place on Tuesday, but students are encouraged to attend the candidates’ forum on Monday, March 31, at 7 p.m. in a location to be announced.