Students Voice Opinion in Historic Election

Athens MidDay reporter Allison Morrison on last week's Student Senate vote...



Last week's Student Senate election brought out OU students in record numbers. About 4,600 students - 23 percent of the entire student body - turned out to vote. The election boasted the largest turnout in recent history.

The record number of students elected their fellow students into Senate office, but another issue was on many voters' minds. The ballot proposed the issue of "Confidence" or "No Confidence" in President Roderick McDavis. Voters strongly voiced their opposition of McDavis with 78 percent of voters declaring "No Confidence" in McDavis. In response, McDavis issued a statement saying he was not surprised by the "No Confidence" vote. McDavis cited a decline in state support, the cutting of four sports and tuition increases as possible reasons for the negative vote.

In the Senate election, the TOGA party's top three candidates were elected into their positions. Tim Vonville was elected president, Amanda Roder vice president, and Will Wemer treasurer. With the record voter turnout, it was a decidedly close election. Vonville defeated independent candidate Will Klatt by 17 votes; Roder defeated her opponent by just 6 votes.

The rest of the elected Senate body will be a mixed party, with TOGA and Pulse candidates each winning about 50 percent of the votes, respectively. All of the new Student Senate members will assume their positions in September.