This post was written by Hatchet reporter Ari Boyarsky

As the 2014 Student Association election cycle draws to a close, here’s a look at past campaign seasons, platforms and controversies.

1992
The Hatchet asked candidates if they would support the creation of an African studies program at GW, and what could be done to improve relations between black and white students. Here are a few responses:

Junior Kenneth Falls: “I would not support an African studies program because it would cause more dissension than it would unity.”

Junior Chris Ferguson: “You need to look at the University’s resources… you want to make sure it is a quality program. If the administration is just going to create a Band-Aid solution by creating a program without the funds, it’s not worth it.”

Junior Michael Musante: “If it was to come down to a student referendum, I’d like to see a student referendum on it. If there’s that many people interested in it, they’d get out and vote for it.”

2000
The Joint Elections Committee had to approve every page of a campaign website before candidates could launch them. Even though the Internet became a popular campaign tool, palm cards and posters remained dominant.

2003
FoBoGro owner Kris Hart ran for SA president in 2003, pledging to improve 4-RIDE and University Counseling Center services – platform goals in line with both of this year’s SA presidential candidates. Hart ended up winning by 91 votes.

2006
After serving a year as the second-in-command of the SA, Morgan Corr tried to become the SA’s first openly gay president in 2006. But his campaign came under investigation for paying a student group during the election, and one top student leader recommended that Corr be impeached and removed from office.

2009
The Joint Elections Committee took Kyle Boyer’s name off the ballot after the presidential candidate failed to report the fair market value of a friend’s car he used to display posters on H Street. He also came under fire for failing to report how much he spent on purchasing Facebook advertisements.

2010
A write-in candidate named Steve Holt was elected to Senior Class Council and the Marvin Center Governing Board, but he never showed up on election night. Three juniors ran the campaign for the fake candidate, named after the Arrested Development character, to lighten up the campaign season. More than 350 people joined Holt’s group on Facebook and dozens followed his Twitter account.

His platform also claimed he would “help the University crack down on the use of drugs, especially forget-me-nows and oxy-incontinent. As for alcohol, I am 26 and do not entirely care about the policy.”

– Brianna Gurciullo contributed reporting