Student Body Secretary-Elect Martha Pool

The race for Student Body President and Vice President will continue until April 6 and 7, with Thursday’s election results leading to a run-off election.

Student Concerns Chair Martha Pool was elected to the position of Student Body Secretary Thursday evening with 1649 votes. Pool ran unopposed.

Pool said she was happy about her election win but said, “Now is when the work begins.” Pool made a lot of campaign promises and said her goal now is to keep those promises.

“I hope I can live up to expectations,” she said.

Student Body Secretary Katie Perkins and Student Body Vice President Austin Prentice will compete in the run-off election for Student Body President.

Sen. Alex Ehmke (Dedman II) and former Membership Chair Roza Essaw will compete in the Student Body Vice President run-off election.

Run-off elections will be held because no candidate received more than 50 percent of the vote. The polls will open next Wednesday at 12:01 a.m. and close at 5 p.m. on Thursday.

Prentice had the most SBP votes in the initial election: 876. Perkins came in second with 826, and Sen. Sam Mansfield (Dedman II) took 558 votes.

“I’m excited about the run-off,” Perkins wrote in an email. “I’m ready to work hard.”

Prentice was also thrilled by the election results.

“Your initial goal is to make a run-off because with three candidates… it’s highly unlikely that a [majority] is reached, so making a run-off was my goal and I achieved my goal,” he said.

Perkins’ goals if elected include improving communication between Student Senate and the student body and seeing more social events on campus.

Prentice wants to improve the parking permit system, providing a variety of options and costs for students. He also wants to extend library hours.

Essaw came out with the most votes in the initial SBVP election. She garnered 1,028 votes to Ehmke’s 1,002 and Parliamentarian Joseph Esau’s 262.

Essaw said she was excited to still be in the race and that she was ahead.

“We did everything right and we’ll just have to do it again,” she said.

Ehmke said he was “feeling good” about the election results.

“It was… the closest election I can remember,” he said. “I think that each of us has a week just to make sure that we get 100 percent of our original voters to come back out and vote again. “

Ehmke’s campaign platform includes improving the Park ‘N Pony appeals process, letting students view syllabi earlier and working on sophomore housing policies.

Essaw wants to make sure Student Senate is representing the student body by changing the office hours policy and holding town hall meetings. She also wants to secure reading days and help offset budget cuts in financial aid.

Election Results by the Numbers

Student Body President

• Prentice: 876
• Perkins: 826
• Mansfield: 558

Student Body Vice President

• Essaw: 1028
• Ehmke: 1002
• Esau: 262

Student Body Secretary

• Pool 1649