With only three weeks of the 2022-2023 school year under the belt, it seems the University of Mississippi can’t stop setting records. In August, the university watched the largest freshman class in Ole Miss history step onto campus with no knowledge that another record break was not far away.
Campaign season for the Fall Personality and Homecoming Election is officially in full-swing with record-breaking candidate numbers. An astounding 81 students will compete for 18 available positions in this year’s election process, making this one of the most intense election cycles the university has seen in awhile.
The campaign season began Tuesday Sept. 6 after Certification Night. Candidates wasted no time flooding social media feeds with endorsing posts and recruiting anyone they could into the annual GroupMe chats in anticipation for the week ahead.
Tabling on the Union Plaza began Monday, Sept. 12 and will continue until election day on Sept. 20. Students running for their designated positions will hand out stickers, fliers and a multitude of enticements in the hopes of securing a spot in the election.
Voting will open at 7:00 a.m. on election day and close at 7:00 p.m. Students wanting to vote should fill out the electronic ballot by going to the “vote in student elections” tab in their myolemiss account. A block party will be held following the closure of the voting windows from 7-8:30 p.m., where the results of the election will be revealed. In the event of a possible runoff, a second election will be held on Sept. 22.
Currently there are 42 students running for 10 campus favorite positions, 10 for senior maid, three for junior maid, three for sophomore maid, seven for freshmen maid, five for Homecoming Queen, two for Homecoming King, four for Miss Ole Miss and four for Mr. Ole Miss. With no position uncontested, it is safe to say the competition is fierce this year.
“I am so excited that we have this many students running for the Fall Personality and Homecoming elections,” Associated Student Body Attorney General Maddy Ryan said. “I think having this many candidates, especially from such a wide variety of majors and organizations, could facilitate a very broad and diverse form of student engagement.”
Under the direction of the ASB Elections Review Board, a multitude of changes have been instilled for the election season. Here is everything you need to know.
Last spring the senate proposed Bill 22-13, which amends the Campus Favorite category, combining the separate male and female categories into one. The bill was officially passed in the final session of the 2021-2022 term, solidifying the change and creating only one election for the Campus Favorite category.
“So when you vote on Tuesday, Sept. 20, you will not have to vote in two Campus Favorite Elections — just one,” Ryan said.
In addition to the introduction of Senate Bill 22-13, ASB is putting into place a new neutral ground called “Candidate Alley” that will house informational signs on each candidate running.
“This year we introduced ‘Candidate Alley’ and the Informational Signs to provide students with a space to learn about every candidate without feeling pressured to take a sticker or join a GroupMe,” Ryan said.
Located on the third floor of the Gertrude C. Ford Student Union outside the ASB office, “Candidate Alley” will feature a collection of informational signs made by ASB Deputy Attorney General of Management Harper Putna. Each sign will feature the candidate’s name, major, which position they are running for, campaign platform, a headshot and their favorite Ole Miss tradition. The introduction of the alley is meant to enhance student engagement in the elections by removing the pressure of openly endorsing candidates on the Union Plaza.
Candidates running for Mr. Ole Miss, Miss Ole Miss, Homecoming King and Homecoming Queen are also permitted to use tents for the first time this year to protect from severe weather conditions.
Homecoming court will be presented at the Kentucky vs Ole Miss homecoming game on Oct. 1 and with that, another successful campaign season will be in the books.
“While I believe that the Elections Review Board and I have our work cut out for us, I hope that every candidate has a great experience, and that Homecoming serves its intended purpose — to remind this campus how special our fellowship and community here at Ole Miss truly is,” Ryan said.
2022 Fall Personality and Homecoming Election Candidate List:
Miss Ole Miss:
Jenna Cripe
Kelly Li
Lydia Robbins
Kylie Wright
Mr. Ole Miss:
Robert Allen
Harrison Foxworth
JC Hafley
Cody Wilson
Homecoming Queen:
Tiana Baldwin
Paige Choppin
Courtney Cordell
Carson Llewellyn
Eliza Peters
Homecoming King:
Kyle Gordon
José Reyes
Freshman Maid:
Madison Clark
Kenzie Echols
Ann Singleton
Julia Stradinger
Molly Swingle
Mykenzie Townsend
Fatimah Wansley
Sophomore Maid:
Brooke Bradley
Lydia Snopek
Meredith Whited
Junior Maid:
Hayden Hubbell
Addison Osman
Grace Schafer
Senior Maid:
Ellie Ducharme
Sarah Dufor
Kamryn Eversole
Kyrstle Hughes
Taylor Lampkin
Grayson McBrayer
Anna Cate Mclarty
Isabella Mucci
Sadie Smith
Maggie Ulmer
