The red shirts on Bruin Walk are unusually calm considering the
storm that might hit their slate come around 10 p.m. today.
With Lauryn Hill blasting from their stereo across the way from
the campus Taco Bell on a breezy Wednesday afternoon, a handful of
Students First! volunteers distributed fliers and encouraged
students to vote for their candidates in the runoff elections this
week.
But behind all the smiles and optimistic outlooks, they exhibit
an apparent tinge of concern when asked about the possibility of
Students First! candidates not winning many seats in the
Undergraduate Students Association Council this year.
This may be because the possibility is very real.
Doing the math from last week’s primary elections
highlights the danger that lurks in the immediate future of the
generally dominant Students First! ““ a slate that has thrived
on council for the last 10 years.
The top candidates running for the positions of president,
internal vice president and three general representatives are
currently competing in the runoffs, as no presidential or IVP
candidate received more than 50 percent of the vote, and no one
general representative candidate received more than 25 percent of
vote during the primary elections last week.
Allende Palma/Saracho, the presidential candidate for Students
First!, garnered about 37 percent of the vote, while Equal Access
Coalition candidate Josh Lawson received about 33 percent of the
vote. Independent candidate Doug Ludlow, who did not receive enough
votes to stay in the race, garnered about 27 percent of the vote
““ enough votes to put either of the remaining candidates over
the top.
Considering the fact most student groups that endorsed Ludlow
are now endorsing Lawson, it is possible most of Ludlow’s
voter base will translate into votes for Lawson.
“Their power and influence has lost its hold on the
campus,” Lawson said, referring to Students First!.
“Students are aware of what’s going on, and they are
putting an end on Students First! domination.”
Hopefully, this is not the case, says Palma/Saracho.
“Endorsements only go so far,” Palma/Saracho said.
“I’ve had those students from organizations that have
endorsed (other candidates) come to us and tell us that they
support us.”
Still, the formula follows suit for the primary IVP election
results. Students First! candidate Genevieve Espinosa received
about 37 percent of the vote, while independent candidate Darren
Chan received 25 percent, leaving about 38 percent voters up for
grabs. Since Lawson said he largely considers Chan an extension of
his slate, it is possible the 23 percent of the vote that went to
Equal Access Coalition candidate Mona Hassani could go to Chan.
If Students First! wins neither the president nor IVP positions,
this could be the first year since 1995 that the slate did not hold
one of the two top seats on council. Still, the slate has already
secured one of the executive positions this year with unopposed
candidate John Vu taking the external vice presidential post.
Though the concern lies in the back of most Students First!
candidates’ minds, they say for now, they are focused on the
issues they hope will get them elected.
“My concern is letting everyone know what the real issues
are … we are the ones who are fighting for the issues,”
said general representative candidate Anneli Villarin, running
under Students First!.
The position of general representative does not fall in the same
boat as the two executive positions, as the top three vote-getting
candidates were Students First! candidates. Still, the nearly 10
percent of votes that went to independent candidate Michi Kono
““ a candidate who has now endorsed Lawson ““ could put
at least one Equal Access Coalition candidate into office.
Brian Neesby, general representative candidate under the Equal
Access Coalition, is confident the end is near for Students
First!-dominated council tables.
This is a unique time in the 10-year history of Students First!,
Neesby said.
Though losing these key council seats would be a setback,
Students First! members say their work will not end when the
elections do.
“USAC has never been the end-all, be-all,”
Palma/Saracho said. “Just because we don’t have USAC
doesn’t mean we don’t fulfill the campaign
promises.”
With reports from Narges Zohoury, Bruin reporter.