OU’s Student Government Association announced six candidates for its upcoming presidential and vice presidential election in a mass email Monday.
The candidates are listed in SGA’s fall 2025 candidate booklet.
Bridget Lapp, a business district representative for the Undergraduate Student Congress, announced her candidacy for president, with fellow business Rep. Andy Wang as her running mate.
Lapp is a business junior and an undergraduate teaching assistant. Wang is also a business junior and student employee.
“We have a strong vision for this campus, and we’re committed to following through with it,” Lapp and Wang wrote in their election statement.
Kristen-Nicole Mitei, accounting and economics junior, is another of the three presidential candidates. She is a member of the Delta Delta Delta sorority and is engaged in several organizations, such as St. Thomas More and OU’s JCPenney Leadership Program.
Mitei’s vice presidential running mate is congressional Associate Kendall Rench, an accounting, economics and management junior. Rench is involved in the JCPenney Leadership Program and Price College Ambassadors and is a member of the Alpha Phi sorority.
“Together, we’re aiming to FOCUS,” the pair wrote. “(FOCUS is) a student-centered mission to enhance life at OU through innovation, transparency, and tradition.”
Mercer Martin, SGA secretary of student services and former Crimson Leadership Association co-chair, is the final presidential candidate. Josephine Nicholson, secretary of campus relations, is Martin’s vice presidential running mate.
According to the candidate booklet, Martin and Nicholson first met as members of the 63rd President’s Leadership Class and are seeking to connect with the student body.
The last election to have three tickets for SGA president and vice president was in fall 2020. Election Commissioner Baylor Savage wrote in an email to OU Daily Monday that this is his first time seeing a three-way race for presidency during his time at the university.
“I want to say how excited I am for the increase in candidates this year,” Savage wrote. “I am hoping that this increase will also result in increased participation from our student body through higher voting numbers this year.”
Last year, Carter Strickland became president following an uncontested election. Strickland was impeached on March 25, becoming the first SGA president in university history to face impeachment.
Strickland resigned on April 4 after serving as president for three months. Former Vice President Avery Dunlap became SGA president following Strickland’s resignation.
Savage said the increase in candidates from one presidential pair to three candidate pairs is a great indication of the days ahead.
“Programs such as the Crimson Leadership Association (which two of the current presidential candidates are alumni of) have really shaped and encouraged our young leaders into bettering campus through a hands-on position,” Savage wrote. “I hope that we see even more candidates in the future for all kinds of positions.”
The presidential candidates will speak at the SGA presidential forum at 7 p.m. Oct. 27 in the Meacham Auditorium, according to an Oct. 13 Instagram post.
Students can cast their votes for SGA president and vice president through their ENGAGE account from Oct. 30-31.
This story was edited by Ana Barboza, Natalie Armour and Thomas Pablo. Mary Ann Livingood copy edited this story.
