Lopez wins election by close margin

   After two days of voting, and five hours of tallying votes after polls closed, Nadia Lopez was elected new Associated Student Government president.

    Lopez received 339 votes Friday, beating opponent Juan Reyes, who had 266 votes.


   ASG officials tallied up to 614 ballots.

   For the third year in a row, participation was up. This year's turnout was up 44 percent from last year's. Past elections had afternoon and evening voting times.

   The elections were held at the quad, where a voting booth was set up. It was open from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday.

   This is also the third election since the poll tax, a student fee of $5 that was required of voters in past elections, was cancelled in 2007.

   Lopez is currently ASG senator of business, interclub council vice president and president pro-tempore, meaning is third in line, behind the president and vice president. She assists the current vice president and president when they are absent from meeting or other duties.

   "One of my goals is to be proactive, get students more involved with events and bring back school spirit," Lopez said.

   After two years as head of ASG, Flores endorsed Lopez, newly elected Vice President Claudia Manzo, Steven Fisher, elected senator of business, and treasurer candidate Kimberly O'Neill, who dropped out of the election.

   Flores used his campaign experience, and influence as an advantage, by talking to voters before the elections, getting the word out on Facebook, and spreading the slate's flyers around campus.

   Manzo, who was part of Associated Justice felt confident during the elections.

   "A lot of people were coming up to me and asking me what I would do [as vice president]," Manzo said.

   Most of the candidates who ran for an ASG position have been in student government before this election, including losing presidential candidate Reyes, who is currently Flores' vice president.

   Throughout the two election days, ASG played music, encouraged passing students to vote and offered free hotdogs and sodas to those who voted.

   Where voter recognition was low among the candidates, the free food was enough.

   "I voted because I was going to get a hotdog," EMT major Jessica Rodriguez said. "I only recognized one person on the ballot and that's who I voted for."

   SAC Drill Team President Jasmine Cuevas said she voted because she wants to be a good example for other students on campus and help students get more involved with campus activities. Newly elected officials also include John Ross Carter for treasurer, Steven Fisher for senator of business, Elvis Esquivel and Nghien M. Nguyen for senators of science and math.