By snoadmin
Associated Students Inc. President John Haberstroh’s serious expression slowly turned into a smile as the ASI run-off election results revealed that he and ASI Vice President Jonathon Bolin will return to their executive positions for the 2013-14 school year.
ASI Government Elections Officer Nam Duong and ASI Executive Director Richard Haller stood on the steps of the Southwest Terrace of the University Student Union to announce the results Friday. The run-off election produced a record turnout of 15.2 percent of the student body, which added up to 5,070 voters, Duong said.
There was no drumroll, stage or microphone equipment during the event, and the audience consisted of approximately three-dozen students and faculty members.
Once the results were announced, several students cheered as Haberstroh received hugs from those standing nearby.
“I was surprised, to be very honest,” Haberstroh said. “I was very nervous going into today’s results.”
Haberstroh received 3,003 votes in the runoffs, or 65.15 percent of the vote, and Zent received 1,695 votes, or 33.43 percent. In the general election, Haberstroh received 48.52 percent of the votes while Zent received 28.51 percent.
“Having seen the initial election, it was not very surprising,” Zent said. “Everyone knows John and Jon, you could ask anybody in the deepest darkest corners of the campus, and they know those guys.”
Vice presidential candidate Deshe Gully received 1,935 votes, or 38.17 percent, while Bolin won with 3,039 votes, or 59.94 percent. Neither of the vice presidential candidates, however, were in attendance for the announcement.
Recently elected ASI Treasurer Agatha Gucyski, who shared a ticked with Gully, stood next to Haberstroh during event.
“Students chose whoever they think is the best, and if they thought the Johns were, then I’m fine with it,” Gucyski said. “I’m mature, and I know how to be professional, and we’ll make a very successful year out of this.”
Zent said he and his running mate, Larry Toney, who lost in the ASI vice presidential general election, plan to share a ticket and run again next year.
“We want this really bad and might even take another appointed position with ASI,” Zent said. “I just want to make this place a good time for students ’cause I feel like students don’t really enjoy it as much as they should.”
Zent said that he credits the university and his experiences at Cal State Long Beach for his growth as a person so far.
“I knew going into it was going to be a steep uphill battle, and I give us credit for doing something like this,” Zent said.
With the list of plans the Haberstroh and Bolin are still hoping to accomplish – which includes a biweekly farmers market, a student-run shuttle system and continued student scholarships through cutting their own pay by 30 percent – Haberstroh said he was happy to have more time in the ASI government.
“One year is kind of almost not enough to do everything we wanted to do,” he said.
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