By
Sonia McBride
May 16, 2008
Anttimo Bennett won the ASUW presidency last night. The crowd broke into a chant of “Timo! Timo! Timo!” upon hearing his name, called at 7 p.m. by the Elections Administration Committee.
Photo by John McLellan.
Senior Anttimo Bennett embraces a supporter moments after hearing the results of the ASUW presidential race last night in the HUB. Bennett won the instant runoff election with 52.4 percent of the vote.
Photo by John McLellan.
Senior Gerald Corporal, hoisted in the air by his enthusiastic supporters, hedged out sophomore Lauren Cutting by 3 votes to win the position of director of community relations for ASUW. The results were announced in the HUB yesterday at 7 p.m.
Bennett won with 52.4 percent, followed closely by Timothy Mensing with 47.6 percent of the vote. The highest write-in for each position was “campus squirrels,” averaging 0.3 percent.
The instant runoff voting system partially explains the close vote. Voters were able to rank candidates, which possibly allowed for a voter’s second or third choice to count in a close race.
“I can’t even believe it,” Bennett said. “It’s a weight off my shoulders, but it feels good. Especially because I feel like I have my whole community behind me and so I’m just really excited about this opportunity to serve UW students. I’m ready to get to work for next year.”
The results for vice president were also very close; Dolly Nguyen won with 51.5 percent, and PJ LaFemina followed close behind with 48.5 percent.
“I am totally overwhelmed,” Nguyen said. “This is such an awesome opportunity. I am so excited. I just want to thank the students.”
Gerald Corporal won the director of community relations position, but could not be reached for comment, as he was immediately hoisted into the air and paraded around the second floor lounge amid a group of excited students. The results were very close: Corporal had 50.1 percent of the vote, while Lauren Cutting followed close behind with 49.9 percent.
Although running as an independent was a potentially risky choice, it did not hurt Sabrina Fields’ campaign, as she won the director of diversity efforts position, with 55.6 percent of the vote.
“I don’t know what to think,” Fields said. “But I’m glad that students at the UW vote accordingly and are smart. It says a lot. I’m so excited, I don’t know what to say.”
Junior Mike Snowden was named director of programming.
“Ecstatic: that’s the only words I can really describe right now,” Snowden said after winning. “Energy. Lightning. It’s great. It’s great.”
The results for the director of operations position were also extremely close: Luke O’Bannan won with 50.1 percent versus Andrew Shubin’s 49.3 percent.
“It will be great to work with the people who are there, but with everyone who isn’t, I feel for them and I am going to work with them too, hopefully,” said Natlie Bankson, who was named director of organization relations.
The elections were very successful, said Taylor Newbold, the Elections Administration Committee chair. He was proud of the candidate and voter turnout. This year, there were 4,051 ballots cast, compared to 1,800 ballots from last year.
Also, a survey of voters regarding a restaurant with a liquor license, or a pub in the HUB, was supported by 67.8 percent of students who answered the question.
9 Comments
#1 Milan Balinton
on May 16, 2008 at 4:07 p.m.(San Jose, CA | Unverified Name)
Leadership Since 1911... Kongrats...
#2 Ebony
on May 16, 2008 at 5:11 p.m.(Portland, OR | Unverified Name)
I ain't no UW Student but I know How it feels to be President of a club. I feel your heart when you shed a tear :'). Im just telling you that this is the year for new beginnings. It's been a rough road for me. I had many obstacles coming in but God brought me through all of it. There are gonna be people that don't support you and those that don't like you, but remember Ultimately that if "GOD is for you...who can be against you?" God Bless you man, and I am proud of you!
*Ebony*
#3 Locke
on May 16, 2008 at 9:59 p.m.(Stillwater, OK | Unverified Name)
“I don’t know what to think,” Fields said. “But I’m glad that students at the UW vote accordingly and are smart. It says a lot. I’m so excited, I don’t know what to say.”
WHAT! So the Director of Diversity Efforts (Elect) says that voting for someone else wouldn't have been "smart" ? How condescending can you get?
I was excited when I heard all the announcements, but this is just disgusting and I'm sorry but it taints my already dim view of Miss Fields.
#4 Concerned
on May 16, 2008 at 11:28 p.m.(Torrance, CA | Unverified Name)
Why didn't you announce the results of the other ballot measure? There were two ballot measures - was it that hard to announce the results of both?
#5 Sonia McBride
on May 17, 2008 at 8:18 a.m.(Seattle, WA | Unverified Name)
A detailed breakdown of the results, as well as the results of the ballot measures are available online at vote.asuw.org. Due to space constraints these items were left out of the article.
#6 [un]LOCKE
on May 17, 2008 at 12:52 p.m.(Seattle, WA | Unverified Name)
You can be dim all you want...But Sabrina still won, HEEEEY!
Oh and if you actually went to a forum or talked to the other candidates you might be able to see where she's coming from.
WAY TO GO SABRINA FIELDS!
#7 Dim LOL
on May 17, 2008 at 1:24 p.m.(UW Campus | Unverified Name)
It's great how people have so much time on their hands when they have "dim" views on an individual to criticize. And I also love how Ms. Fields statement was interpreted by "Locke" to mean that a vote not for Sabrina Fields would have been dumb but rather that voters made educated decisions as to who they voted for being that she ran as an independent. But whatever... at the end of the day this comment won't really matter because she already won, and if your views were so "dim" about Ms. Fields I guess you should have worked harder to not get her elected :)
#8 BigRand
on May 17, 2008 at 7:15 p.m.(Seattle, WA | Unverified Name)
Locke: Why(other then her comment)would you have a "dim" view of Ms. Fields?
After watching the forum, and listening to all the candidates, The new director of Diversity Efforts is almost over qualified for the position.
And lastly she's been doing this job long before she got elected.
#9 Rev. Roderick Booker
on May 19, 2008 at 10:38 a.m.(Seattle, WA | Unverified Name)
I am glad to see a shift in leadershipof the student body! Congratulations Anttimo; lead people,love the people, and serve the people.
Your Boy,
Rev. Booker
Post a comment