The student senate voted to postpone the student government presidential runoff election until Feb. 23 and suspend campaigning until Feb. 19 during a meeting Thursday night.

Under normal circumstances, a runoff election would take place the Monday following the original election, per the Student Union Constitution. However, out of respect for those mourning the death of Sister Mary McNamara, the Breen-Phillips Hall rector who died Wednesday due to complications following a stroke, the candidates agreed to suspend campaigning and postpone the election.

“In light of Sister Mary’s passing, we didn’t think it was appropriate to continue on with the election,” student body vice president Sibonay Shewit said. “And seeing that [Junior Parents Weekend] is not this weekend but the weekend after, and our candidates are all juniors, it seems to make the most sense to suspend campaigning from now through JPW.”