The polls opened at noon on March 7 for the Missouri Student Association’s annual spring elections. Two slates hope to fill the student government’s open executive seats of President and Vice President — Reimagine Mizzou and Mizzou4U.

Reimagine Mizzou presidential candidate Zeb Howell and vice presidential candidate Taylor McMahan modeled their campaign on “reimagining” MU’s community, relationships and governance.

Presidential candidate Miyah Jones and vice presidential candidate Cydney Perkins spearhead the Mizzou4U campaign together. Similarly to their opponents, Mizzou4U’s campaign platform contains three goals: to “circulate knowledge,” “establish culture” and “allocate resources.”

At the presidential election debate on the evening of March 6, the slates answered questions about their campaign goals and strategies.

Mizzou4U introduced two policy goals at the debate. If elected, the candidates hope to establish an emergency fund for unforeseen events. Additionally, they plan to prioritize funding free emergency contraceptives on campus.

If elected, Jones and Perkins also intend to aid marginalized communities on campus by diversifying their executive cabinet and hosting open discussion forums. “We haven’t always felt all the love from Mizzou. We want to create a new atmosphere where all students feel like Mizzou is for them,” explained Perkins. If elected, the two candidates for Mizzou4U will be the first African-American women to concurrently hold the presidential and vice-presidential offices for MSA.

Reimagine Mizzou hopes to prioritize student safety by improving MUPD transparency and strengthening mental health resources. Additionally, Howell and McMahan want to foster stronger engagement with MSA by improving social media practices and transitioning away from email surveys.

The slate also hopes to bring different corners of campus together by offering fiscal support to separate student organizations, such as Greek Life. “Money speaks; If we have to hold up a hundred dollar bill in the middle of Speaker’s Circle and say ‘you could have this tomorrow if you came to us,’ then that’s something that we’ll do.”

At the debate, both slates recognized previous administrations’ failures to meet their campaign goals.

Howell argued his administration will change this by building legacy relationships that extend past his year in office. “We’re looking to build bridges, not burn them,” he said.

Jones and Perkins hope to shift away from previous inaction by using the relationships they’ve already built in other student organizations, such as the Legion of Black Collegians and Summer Welcome. “Because we occupy these spaces already, we’re able to build our platform based on the voice of students,” said Perkins.

In their last days on the campaign trail, the two slates hope to reach student voters by continuing to canvas around campus. If elected, they both promise to maintain an open-door policy for MU students to express concerns.

All undergraduate students may cast their vote online anytime before 11:59 p.m. on March 9. To increase voter turnout, MSA will also host in-person polling places at Memorial Union and the MU Student Center from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on March 8 and 9.