March 3 marks the beginning of the University of Maine Student Government (UMSG) election week. On the ballot this year are the unopposed Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates for the upcoming 2025-26 academic year. Keegan Tripp, the current Student Body President, is running for a second term. Vice President Memphis Peterson is set to graduate this spring. Tripp’s running mate, Senator Cynthia Shelmerdine, is the anticipated successor.
Online voting will occur via a Qualtrics XM system link available to undergraduate students through their UMaine emails. The digital polls open on March 3 at 8 a.m. and will close on March 7 at 5 p.m. That Friday, in-person voting is also an option from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the UMSG offices located in the Wade Center of the Memorial Union.
Tripp, a third-year political science student with minors in leadership and legal studies, seeks to make UMSG more effective for students. Some examples of such in his past and current efforts include “streamlining club recognition, expanding storage options for student organizations and ensuring students have a real voice in major university decisions,” according to Tripp. His long-term initiatives that would continue throughout the following year are to finalize a syllabus bank for course transparency and advocate for a fair distribution of the Student Activity Fee (SAF).
“Now, I’m running for reelection with Cynthia Shelmerdine to see these projects through, continue modernizing UMSG, strengthen our campus community, and prepare future student leaders to take up the mantle after I graduate,” said Tripp.
Shelmerdine, a second-year biomedical engineering student with a minor in studio art, serves in multiple UMSG roles. As representative of military and veteran student affairs, she led an initiative with the Town of Orono to replace the flags on veteran tombstones before Memorial Day. As student security representative, Shelmerdine increased communication and collaboration between UMSG, the UMaine Volunteer Ambulance Corps and the UMaine Police Department. Last year, Shelmerdine was appointed as the campus student representative on the Presidential Space Committee.
Some of the resolutions passed by Shelmerdine through UMSG include placing new street lights throughout campus and speed humps on Long Road and Belgrade, on top of a new resolution to repaint every crosswalk on campus. Her main goal now and looking ahead is “to improve the everyday infrastructure that the administration has ignored in their pursuit for large-scale projects,” according to Shelmerdine.
A question on the same ballot as the candidates will ask students whether or not they support a $22 increase of the SAF, which currently stands at $78 per semester. The funds are ultimately distributed by UMSG to student groups that formally request aid with equipment purchases, on-campus events, academic conferences, competitions, etc. A portion of the SAF is also allocated toward the UMSG Student Entertainment Division to secure performances by musicians/comedians, with free tickets for undergraduate students.
The SAF question is worded precisely as follows:
“To address rising costs, space rental fees, and increased demand for campus activities, do you support raising the Student Activity Fee by $22 per semester? Of this increase, $1 would support WMEB, the student radio station, in expanding its operations, while the remaining $21 (approximately $320,000) would be allocated to UMSG for student organizations and campus programming. This funding would prevent further budget cuts and enhance campus life by supporting higher-quality concerts and events with larger talent, expanding access to movie tickets and food trucks, and increasing funding for all recognized student organizations, including sports clubs, with additional resources for gear, travel assistance, storage, and facility access.”
On March 10, the ballots will be unsealed. Official results are announced on the same day.
“Our Student Government really does have the power to shape the UMaine experience, but only if students engage with it,” said Tripp. “Participating in this year’s election isn’t just about choosing leaders—it’s about deciding the direction of student involvement on campus.”
“Voting in the university election is your chance to shape campus life and make sure your voice is heard. This year, students will be deciding on a student activity fee increase- money that directly funds clubs, free legal services, movie tickets, travel assistance and the large events that make campus exciting and connected,” said Shelmerdine. “Your vote helps decide the future of these experiences, so take a moment and cast your vote!”
An inauguration celebration for the elected president and vice president will take place in April.
