Candidates Vie for Santa Clara First-Year Senate
Seven students are competing for five senate seats representing the Santa Clara University class of 2030.
Updated on Oct. 21, 2026 in Elections
Live Poll
Do you feel student government elections in your area effectively represent the interests of students?
Seven candidates participated in a Meet the Candidates panel at the Williman Room to present their visions for the First-Year Senate. Students will now vote to fill five available senator positions in the Associated Student Government.
Why it matters
The election determines the legislative representatives for the class of 2030 at Santa Clara University. These student senators will serve as the primary voices for their cohort within the campus governing body.
Seven candidates are seeking election to five available senate seats. Voting begins at 8:00am and concludes at 11:59pm on October 21.
The players
Sebastian Avila Farias
He is one of the seven students running for a position in the First-Year Senate.
Blaise Barbier
He is a student candidate currently seeking election to the First-Year Senate.
Carmelo Goodin
He is running for one of the five available seats in the First-Year Senate.
Aiden Joosten
He is participating as a candidate in the Santa Clara University First-Year Senate election.
Associated Student Government
This is the primary representative body for students at Santa Clara University.
The details
Candidates Sebastian Avila Farias, Blaise Barbier, Carmelo Goodin, Aiden Joosten, Kate Carnahan, Anton Do, and Londile Mawoneke presented their platforms to the student body. Students can participate in the election by logging into the MySCU Portal and navigating to the Campus Elections tab.
Timeline
The Meet the Candidates event took place on Tuesday, October 20, 2026.
The voting window for the First-Year Senate election is Wednesday, October 21, 2026.
Election results will be emailed to the student body on Thursday, October 22, 2026.
Political Context
This election operates under the institutional framework of the Associated Student Government bylaws. Critics of such internal systems often argue that low voter turnout can undermine the legitimacy of representatives chosen by a small fraction of the student body.
Students eligible to vote must access the MySCU Portal on Wednesday to cast their ballots for the five open senate seats. Participation determines the representation of the class of 2030 in university governance.
The takeaway
Students should ensure they log in during the Wednesday voting window to influence the outcome of the class representation. Early engagement in university governance is the primary method for students to shape campus policy throughout their undergraduate career.
What happens next
Election results are scheduled to be emailed to the student body on Thursday, October 22, 2026.
Further reading
For additional context on local voting processes, visit Santa Clara Elections.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Santa Clara.
Live Poll
Do you feel student government elections in your area effectively represent the interests of students?
