Since the student body primary election less than one week ago, Elevation candidates worked hard to close the 276 vote gap with opponent Impact. In the end, the spread shrunk, but Elevation still didn’t pull the votes needed to win the final election.

“We worked hard, harder than anybody else,” said Colter Hammer, Elevation vice presidential candidate.

While sunburned faces and tired legs proved Elevation’s dedication, their efforts weren’t enough and Impact won by a 56- vote martgin.

After Elections Registrar Josh Walker announced the final ballot count, Hammer and presidential candidate AnnMarie Allen spent the next few minutes hugging their friends and party members.

Then when the DJ started playing U2’s “Elevation,” Allen ran to the front of the Union Ballroom and began dancing with friends.

Before the sun went down, Elevation had already received bad news. The Elections Committee fined the party $60 for misuse of the U email system.

Hammer admitted the last day of the election process was a sad ending to Elevation’s campaign.

He also said he’s not considering applying for an Associated Students of the Unvieristy of Utah cabinet position. Instead, Hammer said he will have to put into action “Plan B,” which consists of improving his landscaping business and spending time with his wife.

After the final announcement, Allen said she felt great and then quickly left the Union.

“We knew it would be a close election,” Hammer said.

Last year’s spread in the student body elections was 66?just 10 votes more than this year’s.