Undergraduate Student Government’s (USG) special election to fill a vacant senate seat began Wednesday morning with nine candidates running for one seat.
The ballot opened at 9 a.m. on Sept. 10, and USC students will have until Friday, Sept. 12, to cast their vote. Results will be announced on Sept. 16 during the Senate meeting.
The special election is being held after USG Senator Dakota Driemayer resigned from the position to work on a political campaign in Illinois.
Chief Justice Ryan Tung, a senior majoring in applied data science, said election integrity is a primary goal for USG’s judicial branch, which is overseeing this special election. This emphasis on transparency was spurred by a contentious election cycle in spring of 2025, but Tung was confident the process had been smoother this time around.
Different rules are in place for the special election to ensure a senator is elected quickly and equitably.
“Part of what’s unique about the special election is that candidates aren’t allowed to spend any money on physical [campaign] materials,” Tung said. “Campaign posters and yard signs on Trousdale during the spring, that’s something we don’t allow in the fall, because it takes too much time and we want the Senate to get back to normal as soon as possible.”
Candidates have had to get creative in their campaign strategy, relying more on social media and connecting with fellow students face-to-face.
Tung recognized it was difficult for underclassmen to participate in USG elections, but sees this special election as an opportunity for them to get involved.
“So far, we’ve had a lot of freshmen and sophomore candidates just wanting to get involved early,” Tung said. “That’s a really great advantage of the special election, and something that people are excited about.”
The nine candidates all ran their campaign through social media, in-person networking, and the USG Instagram, including their campaign platform as well as a personal candidate statement.
The following candidates are running for the open Senate spot:
Raquel Naomi Bell — sophomore, American studies and ethnicity
Raquel Naomi Bell advocated for sustainability, student well-being, and campus life in their candidate statement. They plan to hold USC accountable on policy execution, such as “Responding to immigrant enforcement actions, maintaining support of the student life free expression team, and maintaining support of student equity and inclusion programs (SEIP)”.
Landon Lagsen — sophomore, business administration
Landon Lagsen’s primary focus is “getting the most out of USC as possible,” he stated in his candidate statement. His campaign promises more accessibility, including more restaurants at the Ronald Tutor Campus Center, USC IDs on Apple Wallet, and additions to the Fryft system.
Noa Foruzanfar — freshman, Middle East studies and real estate development
Noa Foruzanfar wants to make USC “more accessible, affordable, and student-focused.” In their candidate statement, Foruzanfar advocated for uplifting student voices and fostering a community with an emphasis on digital student ID cards, more affordable housing, textbook cost relief and extended USC village and library hours.
Kaiden Garcia — junior, legal studies
Kaiden Garcia states his candidate platform as “T.R.U.E to you [USC student body],” representing “Transparency in how the university operates (and affordability), expanding Resources (and accessibility) for student success, fostering Unity through safety and support, and advancing Equity (and representation) so every voice is represented.”
Zachary Garcia — senior, political science
Zachary Garcia’s candidate mission, as cited in his candidate statement, is “best said in only three words: Affordable, Accessible, Accountable.” Garcia continues by stating issues he will address, which include housing, parking, finding ways to combat food insecurity and listening to the voices of the student body.
Benjamin Graham — sophomore, philosophy, politics and law
Benjamin Graham is “passionate about making USC a place where students feel supported, safe and connected … to the wider South Central community,” as he states in his candidate statement. Graham’s platform focused on student life, including well-being, accessibility, safety and health, as well as campus protection and transparency with academic resources. Additionally, they emphasized spending and partnering with communities in South Central.
Brian Long — sophomore, political economy
Brian Long, in his campaign statement, says that “You [USC] deserve better, which is why I decided to run for USG senate.” Long emphasizes that “there is so much more that could be done to make our lives better and smoother” in his candidate statement. His campaign focuses on community outreach programs to spread awareness for USG programs and student forums.
Troy Nevil — junior, political science and law, social justice
Troy Nevil says in his candidate statement that he “vows to keep fighting for YOU [USC student body] by making campus life more affordable and accessible.” His three main points are affordability and accessibility by focusing on students’ access to academic resources, student voices, and school programs on campus, including open student forums.
Eric Ye — junior, business administration and English
Eric Ye is passionate about “strengthening communities through mental health advocacy, student engagement, and international economic development,” as stated within his candidate statement. Ye’s platform is listed as “Four A’s: Affordability for various student body resources, Access to more extended hours and programs, Acceleration regarding career advancement and networking, Accountability through school-wide student advisory and priority budgeting.”