Torch: U.S. LXXVI Fall 2026 | Page 9

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ELECTION REPORT· Summer 2026 · Torch: U.S.

Open Forum the following morning, where candidates responded to prepared questions from each of the 2025-2026 NJCL Officers. 

Questions ranged from the broad (applying to the entire group) to more specific ones about the intricacies of each office; they also straddled serious and more fun topics (e.g., asking candidates what food they would want to turn into), allowing delegates to get to know candidates better as people beyond their JCL involvement. After the officers asked their questions, voting delegates were able to submit questions of their own. 

Following Open Forum, states met for Voting Fellowship, where they could discuss the candidates and make their final decisions. Each state that sent two delegates to Nominations Committee and at least ten percent of its delegation to Open Forum received two votes, except for states with only one member, which received only one vote. 

Candidates met privately before GA IV to

learn the results of voting. At GA IV each NJCL officer came up to the podium to announce their successor: Editor Shreyas Karnam, Historian Bani Gourab, Parliamentarian Sarah Pati, Communications Coordinator Angela Wu, Aurelia Shaitelman for Second Vice President, Srushti Gudipati for First Vice President, and Olivia Chen for President.

Committee election results were also announced: Theri Andino of Virginia was elected as Certamen Chair, Maddie Deitrich was elected as Graphic Arts Chair, Seth Knowles of Maine was elected as Convention Advisor, Christopher Rourke of North Carolina was re-elected as Communications Chair. The office of Vice Chair will be filled by Zach Mair of Florida, and Todd Wegenhart of Ohio will continue to serve as Committee Chair.  

Finally, the 2026-27 SCL Board consists of Editor Lucas Colson of Florida, Historian Reesey Lai of Virginia and Connecticut,Parliamentarian Alden Okoh-Aduako of South Carolina and Connecticut, Treasurer Nic Collier of Indiana and Hawaii, Secretary Allie Kratochvil of Wisconsin, Vice-President Jameson Sheehy of South Carolina, and President Jake Presson of Indiana.