The BLOC Party destroyed the competition when student government elections results were announced Thursday.
The party won all but 10 elected positions including president/vice president, senior class president and 54 out of 64 senate and assembly seats. Upon hearing of their victory the crowd lifted president elect Jake Kirkham and vice president elect Toby Collett into the air as they cheered.
Kirkham was tearful as he hugged supporters. He said he is relieved that it is all over.
“I’m ecstatic, I owe it to all the people that helped along the way,” he said.
Kirkham attributes his party’s success to their detailed planning and dedicated campaign workers.
“We just started planning early- like 7 months ago and we got the right people?this was a long time coming,” he said.
Lindsey Sine, presidential candidate for the Big Idea Party, hugged her fellow candidates before leaving.
“I think ASUU is in very good hands,” Sine said. “For everyone that supported me, I’m so appreciative because I had a lot of great support throughout the whole thing?Now I’m gonna go get drunk with Bode and the gang.”
Two write-in candidates won, both in the college of architecture. The only independent candidate Mark Thornton of the college of humanities won for the assembly.
Voter turnout fell from last year. About 12 percent of the student body turned out to vote, which is down 6 percent from last year’s elections. ASUU elections officials say the turnout is still higher than most years past.
Kirkham is looking forward to being able to relax over the break.
“I’m going to take a few days off, go to California, and read Harry Potter?but right when I get back I’m going straight to work,” he said.
The newly elected candidates take office shortly after Spring Semester ends.
jump; Elections dominated by BLOC Party