This year saw Kylo Ren as the only Dark Side-endorsed presidential candidate. Last year saw V The Anarchist advocate for a Hunger Games-style battle to decide who will have the best spaces in the new SUB. We've written before about joke candidates, but the stretch of time from the turn of the century to the present day begs special attention.

From inanimate objects, to barbarians, to fish, the legacy of AMS joke candidates at UBC from 1999-2016 is an entertaining one.

Stash “Irish Courage” Bylicki

VP Finance candidate, 2008

The 316th-year beerology student, Stash “Irish Courage” Bylicki promised to fund the AMS’s finances by purchasing the rights to all the rainbows of the world through a small loan from Bill Gates. "Unlimited rainbows at my command means unlimited gold, means unlimited money for UBC. This means that all student fees will be abolished and anything students want will be heard and put into action.” To increase student engagement, he wanted "to provide beer to all events, rooms and facilities on campus: lectures, classes, events and washrooms.” He was also endorsed by God and Bono.

Ryan Corbett

VP External candidate, 2005

Armed with a bunny suit, Ryan Corbett ran for AMS office while continuously nursing a bottle of cheap beer wrapped in a brown paper bag. Passionate about his booze, his most influential platform was to create the “U-PassOUT” — “a program where the pass is worn about the neck. If the wearer passes out, then they are thrown upon a bus. On the bus, they are thrown in ... and then dropped off at the pre-selected UBC building of choice. The bus doesn't even need to slow down. Drunks Bounce.”

Aaron Palm

VP External candidate, 2010

If guns, whiskey and cowboy hats — but mostly guns — are your thing, then Aaron Palm was the candidate for you. During a debate, Palm drank Alberta Premium Rye straight out of the bottle, answered questions by quoting from the Bible and argued that the best way to lower tuition is to take up arms against the provincial government. To promote campus safety, he suggested defunding AMS services such as Safewalk in favour of arming students with guns for protection. Ted Cruz would be proud.

Lougheed the Barbarian

VP Administration candidate, 2007

Lougheed the Barbarian was a man of few words. But when he did speak, he gave the other candidates a run for their money — and safety.

Winnie Code

Presidential candidate, 2014

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Winnie Code used her master-debating skills to give the AMS its biggest election ever in 2014. Seeing the position of AMS president as a stepping stone to achieving her dream job as president of the new Mars colony, Code ran a campaign that revolved around wine, apathy, female empowerment, wine, a weird fascination with Oprah, cutting funding for pretty much everything the AMS funds, wine and ultimately not giving a fuck.

“I don't know if all the time we should listen to students because their opinions are garbage,” she said in a debate.

Nonetheless, she hoped that the women of UBC could relate to her. “I [also] have a job, sort of like a regular person… I drink my wine out of bags, like a citizen would.”

Jon Snow

VP External candidate, 2014

Jon Snow’s campaign mainly focused around protecting UBC from invading SFU white-walkers. Citing the 99 B-Line as “a natural barrier against the supernatural invaders from Burnaby," Snow opposed the creation of a Broadway line to UBC out of a fear of invasion via Skytrain. On the topic of Compass Cards, Snow believed they should only be given to bastards and the sworn brothers of the Night’s Watch. "If they want them so bad, they should earn their cards by defending the campus against the SFU white-walkers.” And yes, he said he knew nothing during a debate. There’s no way he could have resisted making that joke.

Jeremichael MolElroy

Presidential candidate, 2011

A combination of the other two presidential candidates' names — Jeremy McElroy and Michael Moll. When asked in an interview with UBC Blog Squad about why students should vote for him, MolElroy answered as follows:

"If you elect me as your president I promise to lead with cutting edge leadership, cooperate endlessly and communicate loudly. I will blah blah blah SUSTAINABILITY, and blah blah blah IF blah blah and then LEADERSHIP blah blah PARTNERSHIP. I blah blah INCREASED COMMUNICATION blah blah blah LACK OF ACCOUNTABILITY. More TRANSPARENCY blah blah blah. With my EXPERIENCE blah blah blah and the WAR ON FUN blah blah. My VISION is blah blah blah MODERATION blah blah and RESULTS. MY BEARD! I can see SFU from my backyard, so blah blah blah maverick and blah blah."

Sound familiar?

Kommander Keg

VP Admin candidate, 2009

Two years before he became the AMS president, Jeremy McElroy ran for VP Admin as Kommander Keg — an ammo-clad beer keg that was carried around campus by attractive women and bodyguards armed with cap guns. His campaign points included turning the old SUB into a fortified bunker, redistributing GPAs evenly between all students and turning UBC into a dictatorship. “Democracy is stupid because 50 per cent of people always lose,” said Keg in a debate. "A system where everyone loses is better.”

Party Rock

VP Admin candidate, 2012

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Party Rock had one simple dream — to dance. This glitter-covered native of the Knoll advocated to turn MacInnes Field into the world’s largest outdoor dance floor, rename the Old Administrative Building (since torn down) “Totally Wiggity Wak Party HQ Remix Factory” and create mandatory impromptu dance parties during AMS Council meetings.

Even though his heart — and the rest of him — was made of stone, he had a soft spot for Kommander Keg and vowed to build a shine on the Knoll in his memory. “He’s not dead, just in storage,” said Party Rock.

Radical Beer Faction

Back in the days when slates were a force to be reckoned with in the AMS elections, the Radical Beer Faction ruled supreme with platforms that included renaming UBC “University Beer Capital” and promising to “make up reasons to look for WMDs (weapons of mass destruction) at UVic.” The Radical Beer Faction was unfortunately disbanded in 2005 after party slates were banned, but its legacy was not lost. Here are a few of their past candidates:

Toby the Amazing Fortune-Telling Siamese Fighting Fish

VP Academic and University Affairs candidate, 2000

With the “inherent superiority of a gill-based lifestyle,” Toby led the frontier of aqua advocation and vowed to lobby for the decriminalization of plankton and plankton-growing operations within the UBC pools. He also fought furiously — as only a fighting fish can — to get students to stop tapping on the glass of fish bowls. Although Toby’s run was going swimmingly, it was tragically cut short when he had to be flushed mid-campaign. Toby, we hardly knew you.

The Pylon

Director of Finance candidate, 1999

The Pylon was selected by default for the Radical Beer Faction because the actual candidate was apparently too drunk to make it up the stairs to hand in his nomination. Saved from a life on the street, Pylon was given the chance to realize his dream of complete world domination.

Fire Hydrant

Board of Governors/VP Academic and University Affairs candidate, 2004-2008

Possibly the most infamous joke candidate in UBC history, Fire Hydrant ran on a platform of anarchy and putting student residences on wheels so one could then “be made into a pirate dorm, attacking and ransacking the luxury condos as it sails past.” Running four years in a row, Fire Hydrant and his interpreter, Darren Peets, almost tasted sweet victory when Fire Hydrant lost the campaign for BoG by only six votes in his 2005 run.

Scandal ensued when opponent Mia Amir proposed to Fire Hydrant during a debate. She popped the question by presenting a tinfoil ring made from the wrapper of a baked potato she had reportedly eaten earlier. However, her offer was rejected. Fire Hydrant did not comment on the proposal and is known to keep his private life quiet. It is unknown as to whether or not he will eventually find love.

Want to know more about this year's candidates? Check out our candidate profiles and endorsements.

Correction: The photos in this article were originally attributed to Oscar Yu, but the credits have since been corrected.

First online March 4, 2016, 2:31 a.m.