For the first time in four years, one ticket ran uncontested for next year’s Community Senate executive positions. Led by Ali Stewart, the ticket also includes Leise Gergely as vice president, John Holt as treasurer, and Lily Sharpless as secretary. “While it is kind of a good thing for (us), it shows that there’s lack of interest, which is not such a positive thing,” said Stewart. “I wish there was competition, and more interest. Competition is a good thing.”

Stewart is currently serving as secretary and Holt as business manager for the current Senate officers.

Community Senate has the authority to govern the traditional age student body, according to the student handbook.

“Its primary function is to serve as the voice of the traditional student body,” reads the handbook. “They select students to serve on college and board of trustees committees to ensure student representation … (and are) responsible for the disbursement of student activity fees. Students are encouraged to bring issues, concerns and questions regarding campus life to the Community Senate for discussion and action.”

Now begins a transition period, during which the newly elected officers will shadow the current Senate officers. Stewart’s ticket will not officially lead Community Senate until after April 14, when a retreat is planned for the current and future Senate executives. Holt, as incoming treasurer, will be present during club budget hearings Apr.. 8 and 9, helping allocate the more than $330,000 of student activity fees to various clubs.

Stewart’s ticket received 267 of the 327 ballots cast by traditional students on Mar. 22. This number is a slight decrease from the 349 votes cast in last year’s Senate and Union elections.

While Stewart’s ticket was the only official ticket running for Community Senate office, a write-in ticket consisting of Noah Collin, Tristan Winkler, Lisa Jaeggi, and Anna Martinez received five of the 24 votes cast for write-in ballots. Other names on write-in ballots included Dick Cheney, Superman, James Brown, and George Guo.

Though Stewart, Gurgle, Holt, and Sharpless ran officially uncontested for Community Senate, there were two official tickets vying for office of Student Union.

Mati Stern, Grace Boyle, and Tim McLaughlin ran on sophomore Lauren Demarest’s ticket while Marcus Rowe, Hawi Hall, and Jennifer King made up first-year Forest Tom’s ticket.

Demarest’s ticket won the election with 153 votes; only two votes more than the Tom ticket received. Four write-in votes were cast in the Union election.

Candidates for both organizations were given the opportunity to present their platforms and ideas before the entire student body on Mar. 17. Only two students not affiliated with the election process attended-the current Student Union president, junior Sarah Green, and a Guilfordian staff writer.

Instead of a quasi-debate, the forum became an opportunity for those present to find out about all groups’ plans for the coming year.

“Our main platform is that we believe that people need to be aware of how Senate runs, how students have to interact within the administration,” Stewart said. “As Senate executives, it’s our job and our responsibility to help facilitate (interactions).”

“I’d like to see some kind of community calendar so that clubs can figure out how to work with each other,” Stewart continued. “Ultimately, communication is a big issue, so that people know what’s going on. We want to get a new Senate website up that is updated regularly-the current one hasn’t been finished, or even updated since Naz (Urooj) was president (in 2002-’03).”

The Union tickets also revealed their plans. The tickets intend to work together to plan campus events for the coming year, no matter which ticket was actually elected. To that end the candidates are tentatively creating new positions for the Student Union board, possibly including coordinators of novelties, music, and an organizational liaison to improve communications among student organizations.

“Both tickets are very enthusiastic about changing and improving things, which is good because it means they will accept the blend,” said Green. “They are two very diverse tickets. Them working together has the potential to be very effective. I wish them good luck.”

Elections for both Community Senate and Student Union were held electronically March 22 in Dana lounge, ending at 7:30 p.m. Results were announced at 8 p.m. that night, as well as in the Guilford Buzz on Mar. 23.

“I really like that was non-paper,” said Green of this year’s election process. Last year paper ballots were cast, though the previous election (which elected Floyd McKissik to Senate and A.Q. Abdul Karim to Union) was done electronically.

Elections for the Student Govern-ment Association officers, the equivalent of Community Senate for non-traditional students, will be held Mar. 28 through Apr. 5 in Hendricks hall.