Aria Behrouzi
Winners in the student body elections were greeted by applause and some tears from losing candidates in the Student Senate chambers Wednesday night.
The results interrupted the Student Senate’s usual proceedings, allowing the candidates a half-hour break to hear the results at 10 p.m.
A total of 6,362 ballots were cast, giving the election a 22.4-percent participation, which is a 2 percent decrease from last year.
The commission did not release results for the presidential race, and Elections Commission Chair Kevin Hassell said the body will hear from the student body president candidates over the next several days to address allegations of misconduct during campaigning.
Members of the commission said they were unsure of when the results would be released.
A referendum allowing students to vote for and participate in Student Government passed with 71.9 percent of the vote. However, Tom Stafford, vice-chancellor for student affairs, said prior to the elections that he would nullify the referendum regardless of the outcome.
Student Sen. Tracy Hutcherson said the outcome of the vote “sends a shot across the bow of the desk of Stafford.”
Zach Adams, a senior in industrial engineering, won the Student Senate president race with 51.9 percent of the vote.
Adams noted his surprise over the outcome, echoing sentiments of other senators present at the announcement.
“I definitely expect a run-off because my two opponents were very passionate about Student Government and poured their heart and soul in their campaigns,” Adams said.
He said he looked forward to the elections being over, and planned to celebrate with his core campaign team following the Student Senate meeting.
Matt Walton, a sophomore in technology education and Adams’ competitor, was emotional following the results. He received 12.4 percent of the vote.
“I was mentally prepared for a run-off,” Walton said. “I was shocked that there was a candidate that received a clear-cut majority [of the vote] without a run-off.”
He said he will serve Student Government over the next year if he is asked, but did not campaign for a seat as a senator.
James Hankins also ran for Student Senate president secured a 23.3-percent margin, and appeared emotional outside the Senate chamber.
“I can’t be upset over too many things. It happens, it happens, it happens,” he said. “You put your time, work, sometimes money in things you believe in and you have expectations. It doesn’t always go your way.”
He said he was happy for everyone else “who got where they needed to be.”
Hankins said he sees great potential in the next Student Government.
“Big things could happen. We can do great things on this campus,” he said.
Student body treasurer candidate Adam Compton, a sophomore in construction engineering and management, said his victory was largely due to the publicity he acquired throughout the year. Compton won 56.8 percent of the vote.
“Students have seen my involvement throughout the year,” he said. “They knew I was going to get out there and work.”
Compton said he plans to enlist Anita Sivakumar, his opponent in the election, and Seneca Toms, the current student body treasurer, to help him throughout the next year. Sivakumar received 31 percent of the vote.
Lock Whiteside, a senior in political science, won with 51.2 percent of the vote. He has campaigned in previous elections, running for Student Senate president two years and for student body president last year.
“I’m just ecstatic right now,” Whiteside said with a smile. “The students are behind me, behind my ideas and behind my platform.”
Whiteside beat out his competitor Lee Jackson who received 36.8 percent.
“[Jackson] was classy. She was a hard worker and a great opponent,” Whiteside said.
Following the announcement, Whiteside said his first order of business was to call his mother and then join friends to celebrate.
The Elections Commission announced a run-off for Adam Whitehouse, a junior in political science, and Ayo Adeyeye, a junior in English — both candidates for senior class president.
Following the meeting, the candidates for senior class president said they had agreed before the results were announced that the candidate with the highest percentage of the vote would take the position if faced with a run-off.
Whitehouse took 49.5 percent of the vote while Adeyeye received 37.8 percent. Both candidates confirmed that Whitehouse will become the next senior class president.
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