Student Association Homecoming election results were delivered last week, marking an increase in voter turnout as well as an end to an election troubled by Facebook campaigning.
SA President Jon David Cole and senior communication major Anna Little took the titles of Mr. and Miss MSU respectively. Both candidates won with about 39 percent of the vote.
Senior Maren McKinley won the Homecoming queen race with more than 62 percent.
Deshundra Thomas and Lyndsay Roberts were elected to represent the senior class as senior maids. Each won her race with more than 30 percent of the votes.
“I feel ecstatic,” Thomas said after her victory was announced. “Thanks to the whole senior student body.”
After Broocks read the results of the senior maid race to a crowd gathered outside the SA office, Thomas fell to her knees and was immediately bombarded by congratulations from her friends huddled around her.
Junior maids Courtney DeFoe and Janie Guyton won with 46 percent and 21 percent, respectively.
Simone Cottrell, a candidate for junior maid, looked on with a smile. “I’m very happy for the girls,” she said. “They deserved to win.”
Rounding out the election results, Catherine Black and Jessica Johnson took the two sophomore maid spots with more than spots with more than 41 percent and more than 33 percent of the total votes, respectively. Carrie Hancock, who garnered more than 39 percent of the votes, and Jeral Self, who won 29 percent, were announced as the two freshman maids.
“There were 1,760 students voting in this election,” SA elections commissioner Spencer Broocks said. “That’s up 152 votes from last year.”
Broocks said he believed the increase was due to a more noticeable campaigns during the elections week, including fliers and news coverage in The Reflector.
The only minor problems during the elections, Broocks said, was the small number of computers used in the online voting process. Since 15 computers had to be divided among three locations-The Union, Mitchell Memorial Library and the Sanderson Center-lengthy lines sometimes developed.
“We’re looking into that situation before the SA executive elections this spring,” Broocks added.
In addition to the increased number of students participating in this election, Broocks said he noticed a more diverse crowd taking part in the elections process last week.
Earlier in the semester, the SA encountered some minor problems with illegal campaigning via Facebook. These troubles were limited to the races for Mr. and Miss MSU. The SA constitution forbids the active campaigning for these spots, including the use of mass communication devices, as the Facebook was deemed earlier this semester by Broocks.
However, despite the complications created by various Facebook groups and one announcement, election day went smoothly, Broocks said.