While the Saint Mary's class executive board elections ended in a sweeping success for class of 2008 president-elect Colleen Kielty and class of 2009 president-elect Francesca Johnson Tuesday, intense campaigning continued after class of 2007 election results proved votes cast between Kat Kindt and Heidi Goeppinger's tickets too close to call.
With 219 current juniors voting, Goeppinger's ticket - comprised of vice presidential candidate Christin Molnar, secretarial candidate Bridget Gorman and treasurer candidate Maggie Wickstrom - received 50.23 percent of the votes, falling a little over half a percentage point short of clinching the 51 percent of the vote necessary to win.
Kindt, along with vice presidential candidate Meghan Mackinnon, treasurer candidate Laura Baumgartner and secretarial candidate Erica Antonucci, received 46.12 percent of the vote - putting them in a close second, something they hope to change in today's run-off election.
"We are very happy with the [voting] turnout," Kindt said. "I am excited we can campaign again ... our fourth time out. It just shows how much we really want [to win]."
The two tickets seized the opportunity to campaign one last time Tuesday before today's runoff election, which allows the class of 2007 to vote on PRISM from 12 a.m. until 11:59 p.m. tonight.
While hopeful for her ticket, current junior class president Goeppinger was not as optimistic about voter turnout.
"I think that the election will again be close, and I fear that voting numbers may even diminish due to the fact that people get tired of the campaigning process and having to vote a second time," Goeppinger said.
Goeppinger said she thought the reason for the initial close conclusion of the election was due to the tickets sharing mutual friends within the class and all candidates being members of her "very successful" junior board.
"The women on my ticket are still very excited about the prospect of representing the upcoming senior class and will be working very hard tonight to encourage women to vote," she said.
Kindt said she was not about to back down from the challenge and mirrored her opponent's goal to spark desire to vote amongst her classmates.
"I am not pushed over by a few percentages," she said. "We are going around to every [junior's dorm room] tonight to get our message across."
While the Kindt and Goeppinger tickets spent their time Tuesday attempting to clinch senior class executive positions, the rising junior and sophomore class executive board winners began planning and executing their platforms.
"We are really excited to win and start planning for next year," junior class president-elect Kielty said after receiving 64.63 percent of the vote to beat Michelle Michalak's ticket, comprised of vice presidential candidate Brooke Trudeau, secretarial candidate Katie Soller and treasurer candidate Cailene Pisciotta.
Kielty's fellow executive board officers will be vice president Erin Hogan, secretary Elizabeth Bush and treasurer Shawn Redington.
Kielty said she hopes to immediately begin planning for an Ovarian Cancer Walk at the College in September to raise funds for cancer research.
"I feel that since I served as first year class president, I can set realistic goals," she said of her plan to have at least one class activity each month.
Sophomore class president-elect Francesca Johnson, along with ticketmates vice president Pauline Kistka, secretary Sarah Voss and treasurer Maggie Johnson said they hope to increase attendance at class activities. The ticket won the election after members achieved the majority of the vote in their unopposed campaign.
Johnson, who currently serves as first year class president, said she has learned a lot from her involvement in student government.
"I have learned how to work with all kinds of people," she said. "I hope to do stuff that unites the class and really brings us together."
While Kielty and Johnson are busy making plans for the future, Goeppinger and Kindt must wait until Thursday to find out their presidential fate.
"Both tickets are very strong with dedicated people who will do a good job for our class," Kindt said.
Her running mate, Antonucci, could not help but agree.
"Regardless of which ticket wins, our class will be well-represented next year," she said.
