KATE SCHWARTZ
News Assistant
After two weeks of campaigning, all but one spring SGA election is decided. A new student body president, E-board and class presidents have been elected to their offices for the upcoming year.
Andy Canales will be president, Clint Harp executive vice president, Austin Maness vice president of administration and Susan Doe vice president of finance. However, a run-off election was necessary for sophomore president.
Eli Sayegh and Anthony Barnes will participate in run-off elections after each got more votes than the other candidates but less than 50 percent of votes.
“There will almost always be a run-off election when you have four people running for a position,” Canales said.
For a candidate to win an election, he or she must receive more than 50 percent of the votes, making it difficult for one candidate to receive the majority of votes.
Sayegh is optimistic about the run-off elections but admits it is much more difficult then a regular election.
“It is definitely a lot of work, especially since we have literally had to do two elections,” Sayegh said. “It great though because you meet so many people while you are campaigning and you do things that you wouldn’t have done otherwise.”
Sayegh said the aggressive campaigning has helped students meet the two candidates and be able to put a person behind the poster.
Regardless of the outcome of the election, Sayegh still hopes to serve on SGA. Senator elections are held in the spring.
“I was a senator this year, so I will definitely do that again if I lose this election,” Sayegh said. “It was a great experience.”
Future sophomores hope that one of the priorities of the sophomore president will be to keep those students who are studying abroad connected with students still on campus.
“My big issue with student government for next year, since I am going abroad, is making sure SGA keeps those students not on campus connected to the events in Malibu,” said freshman Tom Lambert.
Students noticed the “Four Times the Experience” campaign covered campus the past two weeks as Canales, Harp, Maness and Doe were all elected to their positions.
“I think that The Four had a very strong political platform and campaign strategy,” said junior Chantilly Mers. “There was no place on campus where someone did not know they were running.”
Canales said his experience and reliable E-board will make for successful year.
He attributes his successful campaign to the passion and dedication of all four candidates.
“I think people really responded to the campaign that we ran.” Canales said.
Students’ strong identification with this year’s candidates was exemplified through the high voting turnout.
“I was really happy with how this election went,” current SGA President Kevin Mills said. “I don’t know the exact numbers, but I know that voter turnout was significantly higher than the first election of the year.”
Mills said these numbers are somewhat expected when an executive board is being elected rather than senators and other SGA positions. He is also confident about the future of SGA under its new leadership.
“The new executive board knows how to run SGA,” Mills said. “I think next year is looking very good. Andy will continue to do good things and serve the student body.”
Some of those good things that Canales plans to do next year include improving dorm lighting, creating a graduated convocation scale and even making guacamole available in the Waves Cafe.
“My vision for SGA next year includes elevating the political consciousness of the student body,” Canales said. “California is going to have a lot of influence in the primaries next year on who the presidential nominees are going to be, and I am sure candidates would love to come to a place like Pepperdine, a place of faith located in a big and diverse country.”
Canales also plans to increase voter turnout by having voting booths on lower and upper dorm row, as well as Greek Row and in front of Towers and Lovernich.
“I admire Kevin a lot and I think that he has been an exceptional SGA president and I have big shoes to fill,” Canales said.
04-05-2007