Bruno named FAMU SGA President

Justin Bruno — Photo Courtesy of FAMU

Devin Harrison (back) Justin Bruno

Bruno, Harrison named SGA President and Vice President

By Cara Hackett
News Editor

Justin Bruno and Devin Harrison have been officially named president and vice president of Florida A&M University’s student government. Bruno-Harrison were notified by the student Electoral Commission on Wednesday, following a year-long lawsuit against Florida A&M University surrounding the spring 2016 voting controversy at the law school campus in Orlando.

“Pursuant to the student body statutes, Justin Bruno and Devin Harrison are henceforth declared the winner of the Student Government Association President and Vice President election for the 2016-2017 academic year,” wrote Electoral Commissioner Adrienne Floyd in a statement to the university.

Withstanding 11 months of speculation, election meetings and court hearings, the Bruno-Harrison ticket reigned victorious in the battle for their new positions. 

“Throughout the whole situation, no matter how bad it got, I had hope. I had faith,” said Harrison. “You never just quit in the midst of anything. It doesn’t matter how hard it may be, if people say you should just let it go, you never quit. You finish it out and see it through.”

During the February 2016 election the Bruno-Harrison ticket defeated Victor Chrispin Jr. and Pernell Mitchell II who were running for president and vice president, respectively. Chrispin and Mitchell filed an appeal with the Student Supreme Court, following the Election Code in the FAMU Student Body Statutes.

“The appeal argued that the election results should be invalidated because the ballots at the law school precinct were not secured or counted in accordance with the Student Body Statutes,” said the 12-page court document.

Bruno filed an emergency injunctive relief in Leon County Circuit Court to stop the new election, suggested by the Student Supreme Court.

The Electoral Commission’s naming of a new SGA president also ends interim president Jaylin Smith’s time in office and Bruno’s lawsuit. Smith and interim vice president Paris Ellis were appointed to the positions during the litigation.