HARPER, Maryland County — Students of William V.S. University turned out in large numbers on Thursday, April 30, 2025, to participate in the Student Government Association (SGA) elections aimed at selecting a new corps of student leaders.
By Peter P. Toe Jr
The exercise brought together voters from all six colleges of the university, with polling centers recording steady participation throughout the day.
Independent Elections Committee (IEC) Chairman, Abraham T. Toe, praised the turnout, describing it as a strong sign of student engagement in campus governance. “The turnout is very impressive and encouraging, despite some early challenges,” he said.
Mr. Toe disclosed that voting would be extended to approximately 12:00 a.m. on May 1 due to delays linked to logistical and administrative issues. “We had some initial delays with the arrangement of polling centers and concerns from students whose names were not appearing on the Final Registration Roll (FRR),” he explained.
The situation temporarily disrupted the process, with some colleges, including the College of Business and Administration, declining to commence voting until corrections were made. Leaders from the College of Arts and Sciences also called for calm, urging students to remain patient while the IEC addressed the discrepancies.
According to Mr. Toe, the voters’ list was provided by the university registrar, noting that the issue did not originate from the elections body. “The list we used was given to us by the registrar, so the problem was not from the IEC,” he clarified.
Following consultations with students and relevant stakeholders, the process resumed, allowing voting to continue across campuses.
Despite the early setbacks, students continued to cast their ballots, expressing mixed expectations about the outcome. “Some of us want change, while others believe the current leadership should continue,” one student voter said.
The presidential race features Shadrach Brown and Moulton B. Panyonnoh. Other positions being contested include Vice President, Secretary General, Financial Secretary, and various student representative roles.
Voting remains ongoing, with official results expected to be announced upon completion of the process.
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