After weeks of rocky campaigning, Student Government Association elections ended with the both parties taking the highest offices.
When the dust settled Friday, S.H.I.F.T grasped the presidency from the incumbent MAD party.
However, in as surprising turn of events, MAD’s vice presidential candidate snatched the second-in command office from SHIFT.
The unusual results reflect a change from party to personality loyalty. Even though the SHIFT party was birthed from MAD members who defected, many of those disenfranchised still favored the MAD’s vice presidential candidate.
David Knowles, now president elect, and Raven Douglas, vice president, both won by narrow margins.
Knowles took 51 percent of the votes. Douglas faired a little better with 53 percent.
Overall, only 11 percent, or 2226 students, voted in this recent election.
President elect, Knowles said he’ll change things within the student government as well as provide an outlet for student to input their feeling about issues on campus.
“I feel like at the end of the day its up to the students,” Knowles said. “I am not going to say any one was a better man for the job, but at the end of the day the students showed who they wanted in office.”
While some expressed skepticism about the split in the executive office, current president Ricky Kirby said, a split house offers a unique opportunity for student government.
“It is going to be interesting because the ballot was split down the middle with the president being from one party and the vice president being from a completely different party,” Kirby said. “I don’t think anyone anticipated the parties would be split.”
Current vice president Sara Rolin describes her excitement for the new office, and mentioned how she anxious she is to see what new changes will be made within the SGA office.
“I am anxious because I think it is going to be a new dynamic and that will be really exciting for our university,” Rolin said. “I feel like the culture of SGA will change, and it should be interesting to see how they work together.”
Junior political science major Ali Kingston ran for the position of vice president with the S.H.I.F.T party, and although she did not win, Kingston feels that the elected officials will do a god job leading the students.
“I think that Raven and David are both phenomenal leaders on campus and that they genuinely want to do what is best for the student body,” Kingston said. “I have a lot of respect for Raven as a person and we had a strong relationship before we ran and in no way do I think she will not [sic] do a good job.”
Kingston also mentions how strongly she feels about incoming president Knowles and his abilities to relate to the students as a leader.
“I would not have ran with David as his vice president if I did not believe in his ability to lead as president,” Kingston said.
