Taking office in two weeks, Catalyst — the Student Government Association executive slate-elect — wants to hit the ground running with its first campaign promise.
"One thing on our platform was working with the Student Action Team and their Day of Service," said Chris Buck, vice president-elect. "The event is coming up in April, so we need to get on that and [help] them as much as we possibly can, whether it is promotion or if they are going to need assistance financially."
With 53 percent of the vote, Catalyst defeated Campus Voice to become the next executive slate to represent Ball State.
President-elect Kayla Pickersgill said even after receiving a phone call from the election board, she still couldn't believe she will be the next SGA president.
"I couldn't breathe for a little bit," she said. "My dad told me I needed to sit down. Just to hear [the election board chairman] say we had won, it was surreal. I'm still on a cloud right now."
After Catalyst was announced as the winner at 6:52 p.m., members grabbed a large box of Starcrunch cookies and dumped them on the head of campaign manager Nick Hewitt to celebrate the achievement.
Pickersgill, Buck, secretary-elect Mary Karner and treasurer-elect Megan Gish will be inaugurated later this month following two weeks of campaigning.
The campaign season saw both slates receive violations for campaigning in classes before the nomination convention at the beginning of the campaign two weeks ago.
Devin Hillsdon-Smith, election board chairman, said he has been proud of both slates' performances since the violations.
"Past then, both slates [played] a very clean game," he said. "They both ran a fair, honest election, which is what the student body needed to see. Hopefully this brings back the legitimacy of voting."
Campus Voice candidates were disappointed when hearing the results. Vice presidential candidate Beau Browning said he isn't sure if he will continue with SGA after the loss.
"I'm going to sit out SGA for at least the next few weeks, and see what I think," he said. "I may come back to help out. I would be willing to help the Catalyst administration if they were to ask for my assistance, but I'll probably get involved in other areas on campus that could best use my services."
Presidential candidate Kevin Thurman said he was confident his bond with the Catalyst members would survive the election.
"I've never had bad blood with any of the four Catalyst candidates. I do call them my friends," he said. "It's difficult to run against people that you call your friends and people that I've worked with so closely for the past year and a half.
"I think no matter what comes of tonight, all of us will be able to continue as friends and co-workers and continue to serve the student body."
Student Connection, the current SGA executive board, will hold its position until passing the reponsibilities over the week after Spring Break.
Senior English literature major Sarah Niskanen said she is interested in seeing how the new executive board takes over.
"Hopefully they follow through with what they said they are going to do," she said. "Once you get elected, that's not the end of the line."
By the Numbers:
Campus Voice - 909 total votes
Catalyst - 1,023 total votes
Catalyst Platform Points:
Communication and Transparency
Monthly word from the president, Kayla Pickersgill
Weekly Blog Updates
Sponsor BSU webpage for students to voice issues
Reorganize SGA budget
Better utilize SGA cabinet and senate
School Pride
Organize T-Shirt trade-In
Technology advisory board
Start your day
Student Services
Sponsor Student Services block party
Reorganize Spring Activities fair
Start leadership fund
Community and Student Sustainability
Work to promote suicide prevention
Work with Muncie schools and build leaders
Create Day of Service partnership
Implement sustainability measures
Team with Ball State Energy Action Team and Council on the Environment
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