USC's Leadership and Service Center was packed Wednesday night with Student Government candidates, their supporters and student media anticipating the election results. But they accounted for a small portion of a much larger group.
8,459.
That is the reported number of voters who made their voices heard in the Spring 2018 Student Government election. At 27.3 percent of the eligible student body, it's a new record.
Both the student body treasurer and vice presidential races will be going to a run-off next Tuesday and Wednesday, with treasurer candidates Wilfredo Anderson and Emerson Odagis and vice presidential candidates Madi Carzon and Mills Hayes making it to the second round.
To be elected and avoid a run-off, candidates must earn more than 50 percent, not just get the most votes. With three candidates for treasurer and four for vice president position, treasurer candidate Wilfredo Anderson got the closest to a majority with 49.55 percent.
Vice presidential candidate Mills Hayes earned 35.8 percent of the student vote, and her opponent Madi Carzon earned 28.6 percent, sending the two to a run-off.
Second-year political science student Patrick Ellis won the first ever race for speaker of the senate, raking in 54.7 percent of the vote.
Third-year public health student Taylor Wright was elected Student Body President. Wright earned 4,307 votes, just over 53 percent.