The three Executive slates contesting this year’s ASSU elections will debate candidacies and platforms tonight at 7:00 p.m. at The CoHo. In addition to our ongoing elections coverage, we’ll be live blogging the entire debate right here, so — if you can’t attend — stay tuned for updates.

8:10 It’s over. Thanks all, and vote on Thursday and Friday!

8:09 Gomez/Patino “offended” by Gallagher/Ashton’s “real experience” claim, emphasizing their own experience with student groups. Patino – “the discipline and the passion we have within our student groups…just bringing those things to the ASSU Exec.”

8:08 It’s an emotional moment for the Chappie…who decline to speak.

8:08 Closing statements Ashton/Gallagher emphasize experience and leadership skills. “We uniquely would be able to provide [real change] next year.” Gallagher – “A vote for us is a vote for a simple effective ASSU.”

8:04 Future of the Alternative Review Process? Gallagher emphasizes value of constructive dialogue, intent to work with SARA on initiatives. Ashton frames ASSU as potentially offering a safe space for victims

8:02 The Chappie: “Radical change is needed in the ASSU.” Everyone can presumably agree on that point

8:00 Ashton/Gallagher play up their own experience representing a broader range of communities on campus

7:59 Bennett-Smith questions the broader applications of Gomez/Patino’s nearly exclusive familiarity with minority communities. Gomez/Patino play up value of community centers, broader legacies (like the Haas Center and Admit Weekend) – “they do stuff that impact the entire student body.”

7:58 Let’s revisit the Chappie getting locked out of their office. Blame it on either drunk staffers or, according to So, “Obama being elected.” 

7:56 Ashton/Gallagher – faculty diversity important, but more about holding University accountable to current initiatives.

7:55 Would prioritizing faculty diversity help or hinder Stanford? Patino notes current Community Action Board efforts to that end, as well as meetings with Harry Elam. “We don’t think it would diminish the caliber of Stanford faculty. It would add to it…We really have to question what is high-caliber and what is success.” Hmm….

7:53 Ashton – “We wanted to open a conversation for students about where the money actually goes.”

7:51 Should the ASSU get left-over special fees? Ashton/Gallagher absolutely think so, citing their own ASSU experience as a means of making best use of that money. Gallagher gets lost slightly talking about the various sports events that the Band plays at, but comes back to not funding excessive requests

7:50 Would further expanding ASSU bureaucracy work? Gomez and Patino think so, especially in underrepresented areas like student residential experiences.

7:48 Does the Chappie contribute to the election? Apparently so – “some people take themselves a little too seriously.”

7:47 Pressed by the Review about what the ASSU can legitimately do, Gomez/Patino stand their ground. Of course, the ASSU constitutionally shouldn’t do anything on divestment…but that’s another story. Apparently.

7:46 Gomez/Patino take an activist tone, describing divestment as an issue students care deeply about. Patino – “The ASSU would gladly encourage dialogue about this.”

7:45 Daily and Review struggle to coerce Chaparral back into line, more than slightly unsuccessfully

7:44 Well, the Chappie wants to know what divestment means. Apparently somewhat redundant for robots…Also apparently, “Michael Tubbs doesn’t give a f*** about Asian people.”

7:42 Divestment? Gallagher/Ashton point to absurdity of Senate wasting three weeks on the subject, especially considering the lack of expertise in the room and the lack of any broader student interest. Ashton – “The ASSU has no role in that discussion.”

7:41 Romea tries to ban juggling. Quite frankly, good luck with that

7:40 Ashton emphasizes connections with communities of color  – “that kind of experience speaks for itself.” Gallagher talks about time as Daily editor-in-chief, as offering a unique position on what really matters on campus.

7:39 The Chaparral takes the opposite tack, listing increasingly incoherent – and increasingly rhyming – buzzwords. They eventually endorse Gallagher and Ashton as most likely to party hard.

7:38 Somewhere in a rather lengthy Gomez/Patino spiel was something about community centers

7:36 And…the Chaparral is showing far more dexterity juggling than they have with any answers, to date

7:35 Back on track as Gomez/Patino returns (yet again) to holding the administration accountable, this time for funding mental health initiatives

7:33 Temporary delay as the Chappie digs into some spaghetti, in between endorsing Ashton/Gallagher. Benefit or hindrance?

7:32 Ashton/Gallagher – need for ASSU to get out of the way, or alternately support student groups that benefit the broader student population.

7:31 Review’s editor-in-chief Romea visibly winces at sitting next to the Chaparral

7:30 Ashton/Gallagher cite ASSU incompetence as cause of student-administration divide, to be resolved through better (and more accountable) student representatives and better ASSU leadership.

7:29 Chappie proposes a dorm where administrators live with students. Most coherent proposal from them yet

7:27 And…the Chappie slate is now playing footsie

7:26 And…the Chappie VP is slowly disrobing, and taking a drink from a flask

7:25 Gomez defends current special fees process as allowing student groups to have buffer funds, emphasizes diversity benefits of special fees groups

7:24 The Chappie: Abolishing the ASSU will give all students $12 back. Remarkable.

7:23 Everyone’s criticizing this year’s Senate, with even the Chappie getting into it

7:22 Special fees reform: Gallagher/Ashton claim refunds show students are “fundamentally unhappy with the special fees process,” cite (unsuccessful) amendment put forward last month to ameliorate issues

7:20 Gallagher/Ashton reference startling lack of competition for last year’s Senate. “It’s a fundamental problem  – you have this platform to effect change, and no one wants to do it.” Progress through accomplishments, apparently..

Will Wagstaff holds up a sign saying “We didn’t do anything and we won.”

7:18 The Chapparal: “We’re not going to do anything, so no one will have the chance to be apathetic.” De Taboada attempts to bribe voters with $12 apiece

7:17 Quizzed by Pang about a proposed amendment to reserve Senate seats for upperclassmen, and the surrounding upperclassmen apathy, Gomez/Patino propose expanding leadership preparation programs to upperclassmen, and generally increasing the ASSU’s profile through greater outreach

7:14 Gomez emphasizes the need to ensure student representatives on University committees reflect and actively solicit student body feedback and generally being “very critical of the administration.” Patino focuses on faculty and student diversity.

7:11 Ashton and Gallagher cite mental health and the ASSU’s historic ineffectiveness as the most pressing issues facing students, respectively

7:09 Ashton and Gallagher both talk about “supporting student freedom” as their principal motivation. Ashton: “the ASSU is broken, and we have the experience to fix it.”

7:08 The Chaparral slate are not only the robot candidates, but also the party candidates. Apparently…

7:07 Gomez and Patino cite experiences with student groups as motivating factors for seeking ASSU office to better advocate for those groups

7:06 Au auspicious start as Gomez’ microphone malfunctions, briefly.

7:05 And…we’re off — kind off —  at the 2013 ASSU Executive CoHo debate. Daily editor-in-chief Miles Bennett-Smith just running through the ground rules now.