(Jackie Jeffers | The Beacon)
By Kelsey Thomas, Staff Writer thomask15@up.edu
In an unusually contested election, all executive ASUP election positions except for CPB director have gone to run-offs, four resolutions were passed and 47.4 percent of all eligible voters voted.
According to ASUP secretary Julia Balisteri, this is the first presidential candidate run-off since 2008 and the first time there were three positions with run-offs in recent memory. The online vote will take place April 2 and 3. For the election to be legitimate, 10 percent of the student body must vote and at least 50 percent plus one vote is needed to win.
The top two presidential tickets are Quinten Chadwick (president) and Elvia Gaona (V.P.), and John Julius Muwulya (president) and Andrew Bosomworth (V.P.),garnering 23.6 percent and 20.0 percent of the vote, respectively.
The final treasurer candidates are Jesse Robinson and Lane Ryan, with 49 percent and 28.4 percent of the vote, respectively.
Although only two candidates ran for secretary, Kaile Erhart and Alysse Thomas, there were enough write-in votes to cause a run-off between Erhart, who received 47.6 percent of the vote and Thomas, who received 38.8 percent of the vote.
Evan Castro ran unopposed for CPB director and was elected with 90.2% of the vote.
Chadwick and Gaona said they are excited to be in the run-off and thankful to students for supporting them.
"To know that that many students actually voted and supported us and want us to be their president and vice president really means a lot," Gaona said.
Until the next round of elections next week, Chadwick and Gaona plan to continue campaigning.
"We're just going to hit the ground running and be out there and be vocal," Chadwick said.
Presidential candidates Muwulya and Bosomworth said they will meet with many more students face-to-face before the final election.
"We want to keep doing everything we're doing as well as make sure we get our name out there more," Bosomworth said. "Quin and Elvia are great competition and we wish them the best of luck, but we're here to win."
Neither Robinson nor Ryan are surprised there is a run-off for treasurer.
"I would have been surprised if someone won right-out," Ryan said. "It just seems unlikely with a three - person race for someone to win outright."
Thomas and Erhart face an extra week of campaigning against the same opponent due to the high percentage of write-in votes.
"It's not something I expected, so it's a little frustrating, but it's also exciting because that gives me a whole other week to campaign," Erhart said.
In the final round of elections, write-in votes will not be an option, so a victor is certain.
Heading into next week, candidates are gearing up for a few last frantic days of campaigning.
"I definitely have things up my sleeve," Thomas said.
(Jackie Jeffers | The Beacon)
