Erin Hertzog defeated opponent Matt Van Horn for the student government presidency last night, but the election will continue until tonight because of a tie for the 10th senate seat.
Hertzog, the Associated Students of the University of Arizona acting president, received 2,240 votes, or 58 percent, to get the win over Van Horn, who had 1,653 votes, or 42 percent.
Incumbent senatorial candidate Matthew Boepple tied with ASUA appropriations board director Steven Gerner, both receiving 1,251 votes.
There will be a run-off election today from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. to decide whether Boepple or Gerner will fill the remaining seat.
Jordan Miller, ASUA elections commissioner, said she wasn’t sure the last time a tie had taken place, but it hasn’t happened since ASUA began online voting.
“”There won’t be a table set up, (today’s election) will just be word of mouth. They will have to get out there and get people to vote,”” Miller said.
Hertzog’s Team Yellow repeated the success it had in the primaries as her campaign mate, Jami Reinsch, won the executive vice presidency with 57 percent of the vote.
David Reece, who received 2,952 votes, got the 50 percent of the vote he needed to take the office for administrative vice president, after his opponent Rhonda Tubbs was disqualified Monday for campaign violations.
Ty Reece, cousin of David Reece, lost to Reinsch with 42 percent of the vote, and said he hadn’t given thought to pursing other positions in ASUA because he was so focused on campaigning.
The amendment moving senate stipend funding under the ASUA general budget passed, with 73 percent of students voting to approve it.
Turnout for this year’s ASUA elections was about 400 votes fewer then last year’s, with 4,060 students casting ballots.
Despite losing by 16 percentage points, Van Horn said running for student body president was an invaluable experience and he would “”do it again in a second.””
Van Horn said that although Hertzog is more than qualified for the position, he hopes she understands that ASUA needs to revamp its image for next year in order for students to see the organization as one that is credible, which he believes is an attainable goal.
“”Students need to once again see what ASUA can offer to them,”” said Van Horn, a senior majoring in marketing and entrepreneurship.
Boepple, who was visibly upset after hearing he tied with Gerner for the 10th and final senatorial spot, said he has no idea what to think about today’s run-off election.
Gerner said he’s anxious for today’s run-off election because he considers Boepple a good friend and said he believes the senate will prosper either way with the experience both he and Boepple bring to the table.
“”All that matters is that we have strong candidates,”” said Gerner, a political science senior.
