As the academic year comes to an end and our students thrive, it is time for the school community to unite and advance its interests through democratic participation. The highly anticipated 2023 Student Council Elections are just around the corner (05/31), and we are here to cover every aspect of this unique opportunity to elect representatives and have our voices heard. Besides the near press conference with candidates, which will happen during Academic Assistance Time on May 30th, our journalists have gathered the voting intentions of the student body to produce a holistic opinion poll. Without further ado, let us move on to who is leading the polls for StuCo's top positions.
The StuCo Secretary is in charge of the club's communication with the student body; hence, as the messenger of the club's proceedings, they have the important task of keeping us up to date with how the council manages its funds and contributes to the school community as a whole. This year, there are two candidates fiercely disputing for the position -- Massimiliano Vincintin (G8) and Giovana Muzzi (G10). Currently, Vicintin leads the charts with 49.57% of the vote; however, Muzzi, who has 43.71% of the electorate, may still turn the tables by winning the hearts of undecided voters.
There is no such thing as free lunch, and it is no different in StuCo. The club's treasurer holds the quintessential role of managing funds and making sure they are properly applied throughout initiatives in the school, from The Daily Hawk's website to MUN conferences. With many candidates wanting to get their hands on some bucks, this might just be the most competitive position in this year's elections. Chase Mason (G8) leads the run with 44.3% of ballots, followed by Tiago Loures (G10) and Pedro Rocholi, who respectively made up 29.1% and 19.2% of votes. With insufficient undecided voters to recur, it seems like Loures and Rocholi will have to win over the electors of their opponents to have a chance at it. Thus, the situation seems very promising for Mason so far, but we will have to see if he manages to consolidate and protect his electoral basis over the next week.
Last but not least, is the presidential run. The President of the Student Council engages with all aspects of the club's doings, being entrusted with organizing fundraisers, meetings, events, and much more. Even though this year counts with the turbulent candidacies of Júlia Ribeiro (G9), Cauã Magalhães (G11), and Clara Mesquita (G11), it appears that only the first two have a chance at being elected. At present, a narrow margin of 6.6% separates the two top candidates, who will have to fight their way until election day.
In their entirety, these statistics should inform both candidates and the electorate throughout the upcoming week, establishing which contenders have a good chance of winning and which classes they should seek votes in. Overall, one can expect votes to shift left and right before and after The Daily Hawk's press conference, which hopefully will further aid the student body in the decision process. Be it as it may, the results will certainly not fail to surprise all parties, especially since the 5th grade, which was not considered by this poll due to logistical reasons, can be quite unpredictable during the elections due to their limited contact with the candidates. No matter the results, it remains crucial that the community participates in this exercise of democracy and continuously calls upon their elected officials to improve the school.
This article is the product of the contributions of Alícia Ferreira, Guilherme Galvão, Isabela Camargos, and João Antônio Gomes.