Two executive alliances kicked off campaigns for Student Government president and vice president Wednesday. 

Kornel “Kori” Rady, a government and corporate communications senior, is running for president alongside vice presidential candidate Taylor Strickland, a corporate communications senior. Government senior Kenton Wilson is running for president with Caroline Carter, a marketing and international relations and global studies senior. The filing deadline was noon Tuesday.

Fifty-eight undergraduate students signed up to run for various SG positions, including University-wide representatives and college representatives. Two graduate students ran for Graduate Student Assembly president and vice president positions.

Rady, who is currently the external financial director on the SG executive board, said he felt his experience in SG would help him effectively run for student body president.

“Being on the executive board in Student Government really helps with creating all kinds of initiatives,” Rady said. “Having this experience with individuals, who are obviously in a position I’m hoping to be in next year, gives me an edge I’m hoping a lot of people who aren’t necessarily involved on the executive side of SG have.”

Rady said he will run with Strickland on the platform of student life, spirit, safety and transportation, academics and civic issues. These points include extending hours in buildings closer to West Campus, expanding the URide program to all neighborhoods and working closer with Senate of College Councils and Graduate Student Assembly.

“The general goal is to make sure we reach as many people as possible with this campaign,” Rady said.

Wilson, chair of the assembly this year, said his campaign would be on five main points with a strong focus on maintaining bus routes, diversity training and a student activity center in the Riverside area.

Wilson said he believes his involvement in over ten organizations — including SG, Texas Cowboys and the Tejas Club — sets him apart from his opponent. 

“I have a wide variety of experience from all around campus, and I really want to bring that experience to Student Government to reach out and better this campus,” Wilson said.

This year, to avoid campaign impersonation, the candidates will be required to disclose an up-to-date list of their workers. In a Daily Texan article, Philip Wiseman, chief justice for the SG Judicial Court, said workers are now defined as people who directly collaborate with those who are running.

Rady, whose campaign staff consists of roughly 50 to 60 members, said the new change was a hassle but a necessary part of running an honest campaign.

“It’s a little frustrating, but it does make a lot of sense and we can survive,” Rady said.

Wilson said the requirement to disclose campaign workers was a much-needed addition to the election code.

“I think it’s a long-needed change and puts everyone on a level playing field,” Wilson said. According to Wilson, his central campaign staff consists of more than 100 members.

Student body president Horacio Villarreal said he hopes it will be a fair race.

“I hope nobody is disqualified,” Villarreal said. “I hope it’s a clean race, and I hope students can pick who they actually want in these positions.”