This Wednesday, Sep. 9, through Sunday, Sep. 13, voting will be open for the 2026 Homecoming Court. The court is made up of individuals from registered homecoming teams; each candidate must have a 3.0 GPA, at least 48 credit hours, be a full-time student, and have good standing with the school, both academically and disciplinarily. Though many candidates come from Greek Life, any RSO can put their members in the running for royalty or just join in for fun as a team.
Candidates are encouraged to wear their golden sashes around campus all week and must participate in different homecoming events. The court is encouraged to be present as often as their schedules allow, making the week a big time commitment for the nominated students. Candidates MC for the lip sync battle, judge the cardboard boat races, and will be at the Homecoming football game. You can find them handing out Homecoming swag at the entrance of the stadium. The winner will be crowned at half-time as per homecoming tradition.
Being on homecoming court is not just about votes. Each candidate is interviewed, judged, and held against the standards of the University. They must present themselves to a private panel, composed of staff and former royalty, and give a speech about themselves, defending why they should be a finalist in the race. They are scored on that speech as well as how they answer various questions about their involvement in their community, as well as the nominees’ poise and character. The court does not act as a separate entity from their registered team, and their actions are weighted into the team’s score. When a court member does not fulfil their role, for example missing events, the team will face consequences of point reductions, with little to no exceptions through the Student Leadership Involvement or the Dean of Students. If severe enough, they may even face a complete disqualification.
Each runner is campaigned for by their organization across campus and through social media. Easily recognizable by their posters, each student has a headshot taken by the school for this sole purpose, and only that picture can be used to promote each candidate.
Remember to vote for your favorite Husky in the race for the crown before midnight on Sep. 13. Voting is fully online on Involvement Link and determines the top eight candidates.
