Team Ignite sweeps election

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By Alex Sousa and Natalie Sullivan

 

After three days of campaigning, and months of preparation, Team Ignite swept the elections. Team Ignite won with a staggering lead, collecting almost as many votes as the other two teams combined.

 

The results were announced after the close of voting on March 6 at 6 p.m. Over 10 percent of the eligible student body voted this year with 2,578 ballots cast. This is up from the 8.9 percent voter turnout last year.

 

“Obviously the biggest push that helped us win this election was through multicultural and international student involvement,” said Jono Andrews, the new student body president. “We’ve been working with them for the past two to three months, so the next thing we’re looking to do is make sure that the alumni feel the love of the student body right now and also making sure that the mentor program and the other organizations on campus know who we are and know what we’re going to be trying to do over the next year.”

 

The results were announced to a room of about 50 students eager to hear the outcome of the election, and those results were met with a flurry of emotion. All tears were shed though by members of Team Ignite as the other candidates congratulated them on their victory.

 

“My family is back in Fiji and I just want to give my them a call,” said an emotional Elizabeth Jarema, the new executive vice president. “For me to have been voted in, I mean, is just amazing. They’ll be so proud.”

 

Even with their overwhelming excitement, the team was ready to look towards the future and get ready to put their platforms into practice.

 

“One of our main platforms for me was transparency,” said Tyler Brklacich, who was voted in as the vice president of academics. “Next year we want to make sure we are made accountable and deliver what we promised and ignite the university.”

 

Team Ignite, who had the most substantial amount of marketing during the campaign and said they were ready to bring that same enthusiasm when they take office officially at the beginning of the school year.

 

“Get prepared to start meeting UVUSA,” Andrews said. “Be prepared to start seeing some new branding and some new ideas and making sure that we’re held up to what we promised.”