Election results for Student Senate

According to Patrick Okan, Student Senate Elections commissioner, only 10.395 percent of students voted in the fall elections. However, this year’s elections ran a lot “smoother” than past years, said Okan.

The Senate election rules were revised about a year ago. Okan said the new rules ensure fairness but are not as strict as the previous rules. Before the election rules were revised, Okan said there were a couple of very controversial elections.

Okan said that in 2006 a freshman named Dusty Phundheller ran for Senate president and won, but was quickly kicked out of his position because someone complained that his campaigning posters were too big.

“We’re talking inches here,” said Okan. A student named Joe Eggers then replaced him. Okan also said that campaigning time is one of the big things that changed in the election rules. “Now candidates can actively campaign right up until the polls open,” he said.

Before it was changed, this rule led to a very controversial election in 2010 when Nikki Shonoiki ran for president. Shonoiki won the presidency but then was accused of campaigning on campus radio, WRFW. What Shonoiki said was actually never aired, but another candidate then replaced her.

Okan explained the process of the Senate elections, “A student wanting to run would get a petition and get the appropriate number of signatures needed. Then they would submit the petition by the deadline and the University would check if the student is eligible to run.”

Overall results

A total of 702 students as of close of polls voted in this election. Of the 6,753 students included on the official data provided by the University as of Tuesday, a total of 10.395 percent of students voted in this election.

Vice president

Top vice presidential candidate wins: 1) Carlan Strand: 498 votes, or 79 percent of total; 2) Write-ins: 130 votes total, or 21 percent of the vote (includes a substantial write-in for Ben(jamin) Blanchard, but totals on this candidate are not yet available).

CEPS representative

Top candidate for the College of Education and Professional Studies representative wins: 1) Hannah
Klingfus: 130 votes, or 92 of total; 2) Write-ins: 12 votes, or 8 percent of total.

At-large senator

Top candidate for at-large senator wins: 1) Benjamin Blanchard: 211 votes, or 36 percent of total; 2) Jake Mandoza: 170 votes, or 29 percent of total; 3) Riley Haynes, 93, 16 percent; 4) Hannah Klingfus, 92, 16 percent; 5) Write-ins: 21, 4 percent.

First-year representatives

Top four candidates for first-year representative win: 1) Riley Haynes, 276 votes; 2) Grady Nelson, 274 votes; 3) Kayla Edstrom, 231 votes; 4) Alycia Hall, 212 votes; 5) Hannah Klingfus, 190 votes; 6) Kristi Elles, 169 votes; 7) Selena Houchins, 163 votes; 8) Write-ins, 71 votes (some may be duplicated).

Referendums

Two referendums were on the ballot.

Ballot referendum No. 1 asked, “Do you support a proposed amendment to the Student Association Constitution that would give full-time graduate students the right to serve on the Student Association Student Senate?” Results: 1) Yes, 520 votes or 86 percent of the total; 2) No, 85 votes or 14 percent.

Ballot referendum No. 2 asked, “Do you support proposed amendments to the Student Association Constitution that would update language in the Constitution?” Results: 1) Yes, 495 votes or 88 percent of the total; 2) No, 66 or 12 percent.