As of Monday, there are five unofficial tickets featured in the 2008 Government of the Student Body presidential election.

Ian Guffy, senior in computer science and current GSB vice president, will be running for executive office again this year – this time as the presidential candidate.

“[I’m running] to make Iowa State a better place for the students,” he said.

Guffy’s running mate will be Mitch Hayek, graduate student in political science and current GSB senator.

Guffy said there are four main points the two hope to accomplish.

Their points include engaging the student body, empowering students within Iowa State, making students’ voices heard beyond Iowa State and encouraging student voting in the U.S. presidential election coming this fall.

Ryan Crampton, junior in political science and current GSB senator, is also running for the top position.

“I have a vision to utilize the unfulfilled potential of GSB,” he said.

Crampton and his running mate, Jeff Edwards, senior in finance, have a three-part platform.

It includes providing an effective leadership, “enhancing the Cyclone experience” and enabling students.

Alden Peterson, junior in mechanical engineering and GSB election commissioner, said those running are not official and their statements of intent are due on Friday.

The team of Daniel Fischer, senior in agricultural business and current director of government relations, and Maggie Luttrell, senior in history and current City Council ex-officio liaison will be running to put their five-point platform into practice.

Fischer said the five areas he and Luttrell would focus on, if elected, include student debt issues, communication with the city and campus community, giving students a voice in Ames, assistance for providing suitable living situations and increased organization for the GSB and the GSB senate.

Fischer said the roles he and Luttrell filled in the past year have given them plenty of ideas to bring to GSB.

“In our roles, we have come to understand things that we can do better,” he said.

“This is a great opportunity to make a difference for the GSB and the students.”

Current GSB special events coordinator Brooks Nelson, senior in public service and administration in agriculture, and Katie Stutsman, senior in agricultural business, will be focusing on empowering students in their bid for GSB president and vice president, respectively.

“I just think GSB can work much more for the students,” Nelson said.

“We really want to empower student achievement, and make sure the GSB is here to work with student organizations and better serve the students on campus.”

The only ticket running for the presidential and vice-presidential spots that does not have at least one member affiliated with the GSB currently is the pairing of Bart Dvorak, junior in pre-business, and Clint Pickard, junior in management information systems.

Dvorak said the main issues he and Pickard would focus on, aside from students, is making recycling a major concern on campus.

“We’re going green,” he said. “I want to give a voice back to the students; I want them to know who their president is.”

GSB elections will take place on March 10 and 11 and executive debates are scheduled for the weeks of Feb. 25 and March 5.