On March 4 and March 5, students voted for individuals to be student senators and esteemed representatives for West Texas A&M University. Among those who ran for their respective positions, there was one that had the most candidates and was most talked about among students: the student body president position.
“It was no big surprise for those of us in [student government] public relations when we heard the results and knew we would have to start preparing for a runoff,” Kathryn English, a freshman Political Science major and head of the public relations committee for student government, said. “With four amazing candidates, it was expected, but we did not expect the large number of voters. We greatly surpassed the total number of voters from our last election.”
“Considering the amount of actual runners during the primary elections and the caliber of runners, I honestly foresaw that it would be a runoff election,” Nune Perez, a junior Political Science major and senior student senator, said. “There are some very influential leaders, definitely ones that will make an impact at WTAMU.”
While the elections ushered in new officials, a plurality in votes will be asking for students to return to the voting sheet once more. The candidates for the student body president are Edward Akinyemi, a senior biology major and Benton Allen, a senior engineering major.
“Edward and Benton would both make spectacular student body presidents,” English said. “I just hope as many students as possible exercise their voice on campus and support their choice in voting.”
The student body president is also the student spokesperson for the university. The work that has been put in by the candidates to entice students to choose a new student body president on March 5 and March 6 must now face a new challenge in enticing students to go back to the voting sheet for a second time.
“I believe I have to try even harder due to how hard it is to get voters to vote once but now we are asking the students to vote twice,” Akinyemi said, addressing the challenge. “So my work will have to match mine as before or even surpass it in order for me to win [the election].”
“As far as the upcoming election goes, I’m going to do the same thing I did before but hopefully use the extra time to reach a few more people and share some of my ideas and who I am as a person,” Allen said. “I would like to focus on some issues and some opportunities for improvement that I found.”
As one of the more active student organizations on the campus of West Texas A&M, student government addresses issues that can affect the student body and work alongside the faculty and staff to express the point of view of students to the school administration.
While the student body president runoff takes place, those who are seeking to be elected and those who have held elected positions have expressed how much student government has impacted them as both a student and an individual.
“Before student government, I knew quite a bit about the school,” Allen said. “I really enjoyed school and I saw the effects of the decisions that were made. By being in student government, I have been able to see the root of the tree and what causes the fruit and seeing how things work and move rather what most students see in the end.”
“Student government has taught me how to be a leader on campus,” Akinyemi said. “Without student government, I wouldn’t be the student I am right now.”
The runoff election will be held soon, with the set dates of March 31 and April 1. For more information on where to vote and how to participate in the upcoming election, student government has a Facebook page that one can like and follow for updates concerning the organization, located at www.facebook.com/WTAMUsg.
“As we prepare for the runoff, we are excited and hope to see another great turnout,” English said. “[The student government public relations committee] is going to dig out the paintbrushes and glitter again this week to get the word out in the short two weeks before the voting period.”
