After what has been one of the most competitive student senate executive officer elections within recent years, winners were announced for student body president and vice president of student activities. However, the race for vice president of student life will continue into next week after none of the three candidates captured the fifty percent plus one requirement to win. The run-off election will take place next week for all students on Blueview.
The race will be between sophomores Amanda Laurent and Matthew Van Hoeck, who were the top vote getters in the election. Laurent received 544 votes, about 45 percent of the total votes cast, while Van Hoeck received 356 votes, about 30 percent. Sophomore Stephen Slade, the third candidate in the race, received 292 votes, about 24 percent.
“I feel strongly about my campaign. I am very confident moving forward,” Laurent said.
Van Hoeck was also optimistic about his campaign, but recognized his need to push further ahead in the next race.
“With three candidates, a run-off is expected. I’m coming from the side with less votes, so I have some work to do,” Van Hoeck said.
Junior Greg Larson, the current vice president of student activities, handedly defeated sophomore Student Body Treasure Nate Bleadorn for the student body president position.
Larson received 863 votes, roughly 72 percent of the total votes cast. Bleadorn received only 298 votes, around 25 percent.
“I think everyone here ran a great campaign. I’m confident that Greg and all the candidates will do a great job,” Bleadorn said.
Larson is optimistic for Senate in the upcoming year and congratulated all the candidates for running great campaigns.
“I want to congratulate Nate on his efforts,” Larson said, “It’s a good feeling now that it’s over, however now is just the beginning of the work to come.”
Sophomore Jessica Hamilton won vice president of student activities, the position largely in charge of running the Student Activities Board (SAB). Hamilton received 619 votes, roughly 54 percent, while sophomore challenge Michael Riebel received 494 votes, 43 percent of the vote.
“The race was close, but I am looking forward to working with all student organizations to plan activities this upcoming year.” Hamilton said.
Over 1,200 Drake students cast their vote in the elections.
I would just like to say that the Election Commission did an excellent job supervising this competitive election cycle. Without the Election Commission, the pillars of Drake’s Democracy would crumble. In the end, thanks to the efforts of the Election Commission, the true winners are the students at Drake who have been given a fair election process.
One of the most competitive? I guess the writer probably wasn’t here when Ben Olson won over Eric Gudmundson by 1 vote 2 years ago.