James Orr won re-election as student body president in last week’s lopsided Student Government Association elections, according to certified results released yesterday by SGA Election Commissioner Marqueta Abraham.

Low turnout was again the theme in the April 12 and 13 elections, with only about 730, or 11 percent of eligible students, casting votes. About 10 percent voted in last year’s elections, which led to Orr’s election.

Orr won re-election by a nearly 60-point margin. Orr picked up 586 votes, or about 80 percent of votes cast. Chambers garnered 143 votes in the election.

Orr defeated Tracy Baker in last year’s election by picking up 76 percent of votes cast.

Amelia Kosta, Lara Casey and Erin Smith won election to the Senate from the College of Humanities and Fine Arts, the only contested Senate race. Cassie Keeton, Beau Grant and Andrea Cash were the low vote-getters and were not elected to fill the three vacant seats in that college.

Chris Cherry was elected with 701 votes as vice president, and Lindsey Sutherland picked up 697 votes and was elected as secretary general. Both positions, in addition to the presidency, constitute the Executive Council. Both ran unopposed.

This year’s election signifies another sweep for President Orr’s political party, Effective Connections. Effective Connections Party members are currently in all three Executive Council positions, and that party will lead the council in next year’s SGA. Executive Council members receive tuition waivers, in addition to a books allowance and other benefits.

Orr says he is pleased by a two-year sweep of the Executive Council positions by his political party, which was established before last year’s SGA election. “I am honored that the student body re-elected me,” Orr says.

Orr said the new Executive Council is excited about the upcoming year.

“Our experience and dedication will prove to be very beneficial in serving the student body,” Orr says.

He says as the new SGA takes shape, the main goal will be to lead the university-wide search for a Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs. Orr says the organization will look for an individual who will be a “strong advocate” for the student body. On-campus interviews for the vice chancellor position begin this week.

In the College of Business and Public Administration, Jeremy Brown was the top vote-getter. Brown, who picked up 57 votes, was deemed ineligible by Election Commission officials.

Brown was disqualified for failure to complete required paperwork with the Election Commission, SGA officials say.

Emrullah Guclu, Kaylis Magras, Lacee North and Charles Ben Stoer were elected to the four vacant positions in the college. Although Stoer only received nine votes, he was elected because of Brown’s disqualification. Stoer won by organizing a write-in campaign.

SGA Elections Commissioner Marqueta Abraham was “not in town” Thursday to certify the election returns, according to a fax from UC Director Steve Vantrease. Abraham certified the returns Monday, Orr says, but Abraham was unable to be reached by The Pacer. As of press time, Abraham has not distributed detailed results.

Orr did not say Abraham was at fault for not distributing the returns, but he did say, “An elections commissioner should be responsible.”

Unofficial Results: Word | PDF