Claytons wins student fed presidency, 56% of votes
Victoria Bergen elected vice president; other offices uncontested
Jessica Kneller
Issue date: 11/12/09 Section: News
Student Federation elections wrapped up Wednesday, with junior William Clayton, Collegian photo editor, emerging as the new president with a 56-44 margin of victory.
"I am honored," Clayton said.
Junior Victoria Bergen, who will be assisting Clayton as vice president, said she is thrilled to have been elected.
"I'm very excited to be able to serve the school and students in this way," she said.
Besides determining the offices of president and vice president, the elections also made official the uncontested races of sophomore James Manion for treasurer and sophomore Elliot Gaiser for secretary.
Nine other representatives were also elected, including all incumbents.
Blake Sherman, a junior who was defeated in the race for vice president, said he wasn't surprised by the results.
"If that's how the student body voted, then I can't really be surprised by that," he said.
Senior Drew De Jong, who worked at the election tables on Wednesday, said he felt voter turnout was good this year.
"I think students want to be involved and participate in the elections," he said.
De Jong said he believes the better turnout is due to the fact that Student Federation is better known around campus this year.
"Student Fed used to be unknown. It's gotten better the past few years," he said. "There seems to be much better name recognition."
This familiarity may be due in part to the campaigning efforts this year.
Students looking at any bulletin board on campus were faced with countless campaign posters, including those of Bergen and Clayton. Slogans scrawled in sidewalk chalk and a huge banner across the Mossey library told students to vote for Laura Golden for president.
"I wasn't actually a part of any of that," said Golden, explaining that her friends were responsible for the campaigning.
Clayton preferred what he called "grassroots campaigning," forsaking large impact methods and focusing on meeting his potential constituents one-on-one. The future Student Federation president even went door to door in several dorms. He also relied heavily on word of mouth campaigning.
"I am honored," Clayton said.
Junior Victoria Bergen, who will be assisting Clayton as vice president, said she is thrilled to have been elected.
"I'm very excited to be able to serve the school and students in this way," she said.
Besides determining the offices of president and vice president, the elections also made official the uncontested races of sophomore James Manion for treasurer and sophomore Elliot Gaiser for secretary.
Nine other representatives were also elected, including all incumbents.
Blake Sherman, a junior who was defeated in the race for vice president, said he wasn't surprised by the results.
"If that's how the student body voted, then I can't really be surprised by that," he said.
Senior Drew De Jong, who worked at the election tables on Wednesday, said he felt voter turnout was good this year.
"I think students want to be involved and participate in the elections," he said.
De Jong said he believes the better turnout is due to the fact that Student Federation is better known around campus this year.
"Student Fed used to be unknown. It's gotten better the past few years," he said. "There seems to be much better name recognition."
This familiarity may be due in part to the campaigning efforts this year.
Students looking at any bulletin board on campus were faced with countless campaign posters, including those of Bergen and Clayton. Slogans scrawled in sidewalk chalk and a huge banner across the Mossey library told students to vote for Laura Golden for president.
"I wasn't actually a part of any of that," said Golden, explaining that her friends were responsible for the campaigning.
Clayton preferred what he called "grassroots campaigning," forsaking large impact methods and focusing on meeting his potential constituents one-on-one. The future Student Federation president even went door to door in several dorms. He also relied heavily on word of mouth campaigning.
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