The results are in. Almost. With echoes of the 2000 presidential campaign ringing in the air, the elections committee announced last night that there will be a run-off for Student Council president.
Third-year College students Steven Reinemund and Micah Schwartz will run-off for Council's most coveted position.
Schwartz garnered 2,039 votes to Reinemund's 1,860, but according to Council by-laws, a run-off is required because Schwartz did not secure a plurality.
"There is not a 5 percent gap between the vote totals of the top two candidates, so we have to have a run-off," Council elections committee chairman Adam Trusner said.
Online voting for the election will begin Monday at 8 a.m. and conclude Tuesday at 8 p.m.
Campaigning for the run-off already has begun.
"I am glad that we are having a run-off election because I don't feel the students have clearly expressed who they want to be their president," Schwartz said. "I am hoping that this campaign will bring out more of the issues and differences between the candidates."
Both candidates expressed excitement and confidence in the campaign ahead.
"I am very pleased with how things turned out," Reinemund said. "Look for more rhinos coming to an area near you."
The election pleased outgoing Council President Abby Fifer.
"Both candidates have given a lot to Student Council and the University community and the University will be fortunate to have either one as its leader," Fifer said.
Third-year College student Ronnie Mayhew will serve as Council's next executive vice president.
"It's a great honor to be elected unopposed as the EVP because it shows that the representative body and the student body in general trust you in this leadership position," Mayhew said.
Third-year College student Kelly Polk was chosen as the next Council vice president for organizations. In this role, she will oversee the appropriations process for University CIOs.
Students elected third-year College student Atima Omara-Alwala to serve as the 2002-2003 Council vice president for administration. She will oversee the Escort Service, as well as fundraising and the daily operations in the Council office.
This year's elections saw one of the highest voter turnouts in some time with 35.54 percent of the entire student body voting. The College had 46.11 percent of students voting, while 47.83 percent of Engineering students went to the polls. Low turn-out numbers were registered in graduate and professional schools, which brought down the overall percentage.
Still, "this is the largest turn-out we have seen since voting moved online," Fifer said.
Students also elected two class presidents last night. Third-year students chose Kemper Steele to be their fourth-year class president.
"The class of 2003 voted me class president, so whatever they want accomplished, I am going to try my best to bring them," Steele said.
Third-year Katherine Montgomery will be the fourth-year class vice president. Until this year, the candidate who received the second highest number of votes in the race for president was appointed vice president. This is the first year the class president and vice president were elected separately.
Students elected second-year College students Howard Yuan and Julia Thies to be third-year president and vice president respectively in uncontested races.
Another run-off is required for the office of second-year president. First-year College students Bryan Shin and Robin Short tied with 348 votes each.
First years chose Devon Knudsen as their second-year vice president.
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