The fall Student Government Association election results are in.
“This election had a wonderful turnout, just as I thought it would,” said Senate President Pro Tempore, Ebony Ivory, a 20-year-old junior business administration student from Fort Lauderdale.
Votes for freshmen senators, president and vice president, graduate senator graduate president, vice president, and attendant were all counted and reported on Tuesday in Student Activities.
The Electoral Commission and some members of SGA counted the ballots.
The freshmen attendants voting results were delayed due to a run-off between the top two candidates.
Students voted on Thursday in the run-off election in the Grand Ball Room. Those votes were counted and reported, as well on Thursday.
With a two-point lead victory of 235 votes, Freshman Attendant 18-year-old Scarlett Williams, expressed her excitement about her win, “This election was a lot fun and hard work.”
“It gave me the wonderful opportunity to meet my freshman class, and the electoral commission did a great job keeping things fair,” said Williams, a general studies student from Jacksonville.
Sean West, the 22-year-old Electoral Commissioner, said he and his commission put their greatest efforts towards making sure the election was fair and by the books for each candidate.
“I commend every candidate who ran for a position for having the courage to want to be active on campus and be student leaders,” said senior criminal justice student, West, who is from Tallahassee.
To welcome the eight freshmen senate winners, there was a meeting in the SGA senate chambers on Sept. 28.
Each member was sworn in and had a chance to meet the other senators.
“We seem to have some really good senators joining us this year,” Ivory said.
West said the new point system implemented this year worked out well and the candidates all had great sportsmanship.
He said it was important to keep candidate on the same page. Any candidate that broke a rule was disciplined through the system.
While some candidates did not receive penalty points, others experienced the consequences of breaking a rule.
“I lost 20 points for posting my poster on the molding of Truth Hall. So the point system was very accurate, and the electoral commission were on their jobs,” Williams said.
West said only a little over half of the freshman student class participated in this election.
Some students were misinformed and did not understand the importance of the selection process of our student leaders, he explained.
“In the spring the commission and I plan to push harder to get our students out to vote. We have to get the word out,” West said.
With a win of 390 votes, Freshman Class President 18-year-old Gallop Franklin, said his main goal is to build a strong network in the freshman class.
“The freshman class needs to grow stronger and be more involved, and it is my plans to help and encourage them to do so,” said Franklin a pharmacy student from Tallahassee.
Spring elections begin in February 2006. A few positions available in the spring for election are SGA President and Vice President along with Mr. and Mrs. FAMU.
“I encourage everyone to bring along a friend with them to vote in the spring elections next year, so the participation of students can continue to grow” West said.
Contact Teyosha Crenshaw at famuannews@hotmail.com