by Amanda Goemmer
Cameron University’s Student Government Association will have a second election to determine next year’s SGA President, as none of the candidates received over 50 percent of the votes during the spring election.
Current SGA President Cody Gardner said that two of the initial three presidential candidates, Colton Kennedy and Teewhy Dojutelegan, will be competing for the position once more. Candidate Kevin Stieb will be out of the final race.
Dojutelegan, a junior Communication major, received 137 votes to claim 45 percent of the total, while Kennedy, a senior History and Mathematics major, received 125 votes for 41 percent.
Stieb ended his campaign with 13 percent of the total with 40 votes.
The runoff election will take place on Tuesday, April 10 and Wednesday, April 11, from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m. in McMahon Centennial Complex. Students intending to cast their vote are required bring their Cameron I.D. card with them.
According to Gardner, the runoff is the result of an SGA policy regarding the number of candidates who are competing for office and the number of votes that each of those candidates receives. Majority is considered 50 percent plus one.
“Next week we will have an SGA president because they will win by majority,” Gardner said.
According to Gardner, the candidates are able to use the time they have before the days of the runoff to campaign.
Each SGA presidential hopeful has his own goals and motives for running for the position.
Dojutelegan said that, if elected, he hopes to change the way the student body interacts with the SGA and CU faculty.
“I want to bring what is called grass-root governance, which basically means I want to be able to come to you as a student and ask ‘hey, what do you want done in your school?’” he said. “You are the students, you should have a voice on campus.”
Kennedy said that he hopes to use his potential position in the SGA to cater to the needs of the campus population.
“I see the student government as a tool to serve both the student body and the faculty and staff on campus,” he said. “I would like to facilitate that operation through hard work and commitment.”
Other SGA positions that were run for included those of vice president and treasurer, as well as various senator positions.
Sophomore Chas Holbrook and junior Chemistry major Seth Geiger will be next year’s Vice President and Treasurer, respectively. Both candidates ran unopposed.
Students also voted on an amendment to the SGA constitution that would allow votes to be casted online beginning in the Fall 2012 semester.
The bill, written by Elijah Morlett, passed with 229 students voting yes and 75 opposing.
All newly elected SGA officers will be officially sworn in at CU’s award ceremony at the MCC’s McCasland Ballroom on April 19 at 6:30 p.m.
“I want to bring what I call grass-root governance, which basically means I want to be able to come to you as a student and ask ‘hey, what do you want done in your school?’” he said. “You are the students, you should have a voice on campus.”
Kennedy said that he hopes to use his potential position in the SGA to cater to the needs of the campus population.
“I see the student government as a tool to serve both the student body and the faculty and staff on campus,” he said. “I would like to facilitate that operation through hard work and commitment.”
Other SGA positions that were run for included those of vice president and treasurer, as well as various senator positions.
Sophomore Chas Holbrook and junior Chemistry major Seth Geiger will be next year’s Vice President and Treasurer, getting 269 votes and 268 votes respectively. Both candidates ran unopposed.
Students also voted on an amendment to the SGA constitution that would allow votes to be casted online beginning in the Fall 2012 semester.
The bill, written by graduate student Elijah Morlett, passed with 229 students voting yes and 75 opposing.
All newly elected SGA officers will be officially sworn in at CU’s award ceremony at the MCC’s McCasland Ballroom at 6:30 p.m. on April 19.