Two write-in candidates for ASASUD president were announced Monday, bringing the total number of executive tickets running in this year’s election to three.
Criminal justice sophomore Joseph Grossman is the only executive ticket officially on the ballot. The approved write-in presidential candidates are journalism sophomore Andres Cano, who also ran for president last year, and nutrition freshman Diana Inzunza.
Inzunza was unavailable for comment, but her running mate, journalism junior Rudy Rivas, spoke on behalf of the ticket.
Both write-in tickets said they felt it was necessary to run because there was only one candidate for president on the ballot.
“We want to give the downtown Phoenix students a choice,” Rivas said.
Each candidate has different goals they would focus on if elected.
Grossman said his major goal is dealing with student tuition hikes, while Rivas said his ticket’s would be getting commuter students and the city of Phoenix more involved on the Downtown campus.
Bringing local political leaders onto campus to speak, like Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon, and hosting more events on Taylor Mall to keep commuter students on campus are ways Rivas said the Downtown campus could accomplish this goal.
“I want to get commuter students more involved in the Downtown campus,” Rivas said. “I want them to hang out (after class).”
Cano said his tangible goals for the Downtown campus are what differentiates him from the other candidates. Cano’s goals include more options for Maroon and Gold Dollars around campus, financial-aid workshops and better communication methods from student government to connect to Downtown students.
“I think we’re different because we have the vision, leadership and experience to really transform the way ASASUD is running its student government,” Cano said.
At least one of the candidates on each ticket has some background in leadership or politics. Grossman is currently the vice president for College Republicans at ASU Downtown, Cano ran for president last year and is the president of Young Democrats at the Downtown campus, and Rivas is the president of ASU’s Radio Television Digital News Association.
The write-in candidates’ running mates were also announced on Monday.
Journalism freshman Brittany Morris is running alongside Cano, and Rivas is running with Inzunza. Grossman had already announced criminal justice sophomore David Bakardjiev as his running mate.
Cano said Morris was a “qualified candidate” who worked with ASA last semester, helping people who lobby for votes and “someone who will put all of her heart into her work.”
Rivas said he brings knowledge of the campus and how it works with the community, after being a part of it for three years, while Inzunza will bring fresh, new ideas to ASASUD.
“I’m going to help guide her through everything and I have the most faith in her possible,” Rivas said. “As young as she is I really feel like she has the capability.”
Grossman said he chose Bakardjiev because he is responsible and hardworking, and because they have similar beliefs about their major concern — tuition hikes to students.
“He’s just as pissed off (about tuition hikes) as I am,” Grossman said.
Cano said the vice president position is probably the most important position in ASASUD because it is their job to stay connected to the students and stay abreast of what is happening at the Downtown campus.
Both write-in tickets said they ran because they wanted to give the Downtown campus students a choice for president. With three tickets now in contention, each focusing on different issues, the students now have choices.
“I’m glad that … downtown students have three choices,” Cano said. “I think that they have to carefully examine which ticket represents them.”
Contact the reporter at connor.radnovich@asu.edu
