Belmont’s Student Government Association announced its new president, Jonathan Rankin, and vice president, Jade Cooper, for the 2015-2016 congress on March 27.
Rankin and Cooper ran unopposed after Zack Taylor and Braden Stover withdrew their ticket from the SGA election on March 17.
The vote count totaled 182 for Rankin and Cooper and 22 write-in votes, said Justin Smith, the chair of the election commission.
Students were able to vote on BruinLink for three days before polls closed on March 27.
Despite the election yielding low numbers, Rankin said he was impressed by the turnout and is ready to move forward.
“We’re so thankful that hundreds of students chose to vote for us this year despite the fact that we were running unopposed,” Rankin said. “I think it signifies that everyone is ready for SGA to get away from the drama of politics, roll up our sleeves, and start working hard to improve our community.”
Rankin’s vice president, Cooper, is also grateful for the students who voted and her chance to serve them along with Rankin.
“It feels so great to be able to represent the Belmont community in such an impactful way, and I’m so glad I have the opportunity to serve them,” Cooper said.
In light of the recent suspension of SGA for the 2015 spring semester, the election will give SGA a chance to refresh and refocus, Cooper said.
“We can turn around how SGA is perceived by the students, and we need to focus everything back on them because that’s who is important,” she said. “It’s not personal matters or impeachment, what matters is the students. That’s why we’re here. That’s why Jonathan and I ran in the first place because we care about them. It’s an organization for the students.”
Rankin and Cooper will be sworn into office Friday at 10 a.m. in the Beaman Student Life Center.