Western Carolina University’s senate elections were held on the U.C. lawn, despite national distress Tuesday morning.
David Chesley, SGA’s chief of staff, reported that about five percent of students voted.
“Voter turnout was highest for lower campus,” Chesley said.
The campus is divided into three Senate districts:
Upper campus includes the area of students living in Harrill, Robertson, Albright-Benton, and Buchanan. Lower campus includes students living in Helder, Scott, Leatherwood, and Walker.
The commuter students make up the third district.
Upper Campus elected Amanda Givens, Matthew Jameson, Blaise Stevens, Terrence Jermaine McClain, Lateshia Shanelle Joyner, and Saretta Tatum.
Lower Campus elected Stephen Ryan Hall, Stephon R. Hall, Bobby Moseley, Kisha Gilliard, Elle Ghomizadeh, Marcella Crocker, Eugene Feldman, and Sean Clancy.
Commuter students elected Justin Lackey, Renee Johnson, Josh Pencola, Jennifer Webb, Jimmy Graham, Jonathan Edwards, Brandon Batton, Arthur Deans, and Karen Johnson. Johnathan Zapp, Adrienne Phillips, Marion Carver, Faviola Olvera, and Jenine Martin, were all running for lower campus, but were moved to the commuter ballot.
In an effort to involve more students in the voting process, Vice President of Student Government Jermaine Perry said, “We are working on electronic voting, but that will have to pass through student affairs.”
Perry added that at UNC-W, 40 percent of students voted when electronic voting was used.