This year’s election season for four student government elections at Utah Valley University ended tonight. The UVUSA live-streamed the announcement of the winners on their Instagram, @uvustudents, for students to watch.
Mimi Barney won as student body president with 2036 votes, beating Fransico Calderon-Mora (1427 votes) and Carl Prior (1422 votes).
Ava Gonzalez-Molina won vice president of engagement (1922 votes), which will now be called vice president of connection, a change that was approved in this student election.
Ian Gotcher received 3661 votes and ran uncontested in his category to win the vice president of academics.
Kyle Cullimore also ran uncontested in his category to earn 3985 votes and claim the vice president of activities.
There were three constitutional changes proposed on the ballot this year, and all three passed.
1. The independent branch to be reconstructed to be the connection branch, the vice president of connection, formally known as the vice president of engagement, would lead the branch and would oversee the assistant to the VP of Connection. Two inclusion cochairs, an inclusion council and a new position titled civic engagement chair. The vice president would also chair a student leadership task force. This received 93% approval.
2. The public relations chair will be removed from the council and instead a part-time position be created, with up to 5 interns. This received 83% approval.
3. The specific chairs (positions such as couples event chair, entertainment chair, family event chair, social arts chair and traditions chair) for the activities branch will be dissolved and will now be called activities chair. An additional chair will be added to bring the total to six chairs. This received 86% approval.
This election had 18.93% voter turnout compared to 20% last year, resulting in a 1.07% drop from the previous election.
