Voter turnout in the Student Government Association election eclipsed the 23 percent mark, more than doubling turnout from last year's election.
The number of students voting in the election rose from 2,039 last year to 4,042 this year. Team Tietz received 2,619 of those votes, nearly 65 percent.
Despite the lopsided outcome, SGA elections board chairman Joe Flores said the high turnout benefited both campaigns.
Flores said the elections board tried to increase voting by sending out a mass e-mail to students reminding them of the election and by setting up a voting table in the LaFollette Complex. However, he said, in the end it was largely the efforts of both campaigns that attracted more voters.
"I really think it can be mostly credited to the strong campaigns both slates mounted," Flores said. "We tried to do a couple things on the elections board, but I think that was the main reason."
Matt Filer of the Tietz Slate said he felt that the efforts of the elections board did play a large role in the high number of student voters, and he said more students voting is a good sign.
"I think it's good that more students voted," Filer said. "I think that's great compared to last year. It shows that students are getting more involved and wanting a voice in student government."
Flores said the turnout was a "substantial increase" over past elections in which he has been involved, and he said Associate Vice President for Student Life Kay Bales called it the largest turnout in her memory.
"The turnout was excellent this year," Bales said. "We were very excited to see so many students involved this year."
Only 20 fewer people voted this year than voted in the past two elections combined.
Prior to the election, SGA President Jayson Manship, who received 1,423 votes, said he was expecting "a much higher voter turnout than last year." Following the election, he said he never could have expected the voting rate to be as high as it was.
"I didn't know it would double," Manship said. "That's a ton. I could never have predicted this, but I think it's awesome that that many students voted. It shows the administration that students do care."
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