Student Government Association (SGA) election results
Tyler Martinez (26C) and Seth Weinfield (27C) are advancing to a runoff election for the SGA presidential seat after no candidate received over half of the votes, according to today’s results released by the Elections Board. The runoff election will open at noon on March 3 and close at noon on March 4.
Weinfield, a second-year SGA and College Council legislator, garnered 615 (36%) votes. Martinez, who serves as Emory National Association for the Advancement of Colored People’s (NAACP) second vice president, was slightly behind with 583 (34.13%) votes.
Treasurer of Alpha Tau Omega fraternity Walker Liu (26C) earned 422 (24.7%) votes and will not advance further in the election. Additionally, 88 (5.15%) students voted no confidence.
The last time the SGA presidential election advanced to a runoff was in 2023.
SGA First Year Council Director Maahi Sethi (27C) and Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) Council SGA Representative Zoe Grotjan (26B) will also advance to a runoff for the SGA vice presidential seat.
Sethi garnered 700 (40.98%) votes, while Grotjan earned 558 (32.66%) votes. Kenneth Power (27C), who ran with Liu, received 336 (19.67%) votes and will not advance to the runoff election. Students cast 114 (6.67%) votes of no confidence.
Sethi ran on a joint ticket with Weinfield, while Grotjan ran alongside Martinez.
Martinez and Grotjan’s platform includes plans to put two student representatives on the University Board of Trustees and work with the University Senate’s Committee for Open Expression and the Graduate SGA to rewrite the current Respect for Open Expression Policy. He also campaigned to improve campus wellness by increasing the accessibility of Student Health Services, providing better long-term mental health care through Counseling and Psychological Services and ensuring that the University administration investigates bias reports.
Weinfield and Sethi’s platform outlines plans to create a more inclusive campus environment by establishing a “disability identity space” in the Belonging and Community Justice center and hosting town halls to help students better understand Emory’s open expression policy. Weinfield hopes to use his experience working in Emory’s Peer Advocate Office to create a student-led peer advocate office and collaborate with the Center for Student Wellbeing to facilitate access to resources for medical amnesty protocols, sexual health and substance abuse education.
Oxford College SGA president Kenan Bajraktarevic (25Ox), SGA’s co-Vice President of Sustainability Matthew Veersammy (26C) and SGA Oxford-Atlanta Liaison Victor Alvarez Betancourt (25Ox) endorsed Weinfield and Sethi.
Various student organizations, including Young Democrats of Emory, Puerto Rican Student Association, Muslim Students Association, Black Student Alliance and Emory’s NAACP endorsed Martinez and Grotjan’s ticket.
In total, 1,708 votes were cast in the SGA presidential and vice presidential elections, an 8.17% decrease from last year.
The candidates did not reply immediately to the Wheel’s requests for comment.
College Council election results
College Council Chief of Staff Vladyslav Senenko (27C) won the College Council presidential election, garnering 710 (57.81%) votes to beat his opponent, Emory College Republicans President Si Kai Feng (28C), who received 191 (15.55%) votes. Additionally, 327 (26.62%) students voted no confidence.
In total, 1,228 students voted in this year’s College Council election, a 6.26% decrease from last year.
Senenko’s platform emphasizes making underrepresented voices heard and minimizing bureaucratic hurdles. Senenko said he would establish emergency funds for “urgent club needs” and use town halls and College Council office hours to promote communication and transparency between students and administration. He also hopes to facilitate academic changes such as extending library hours and creating more transparency for students during enrollment by having professors publish syllabi during course registration.
Senenko did not reply immediately for comment.
The College Council vice presidential election will advance to a runoff between Braden Newsome (25Ox) and no confidence after no candidate received over half the votes. Newsome’s opponent, Ellie Estridge (28C), will not advance to the runoff election, which will open at noon on March 3 and close at noon on March 4.
Students cast 418 (34.03%) votes of no confidence. Newsome garnered 410 (33.38%) votes, while Estridge earned 400 (32.57%) votes.
Newsome’s platform prioritizes mental health services for students, and he hopes to reduce the “busywork” students must complete for classes. As College Council vice president, he would hope to increase communication between students and administration and transparency between students and College Council. He also aims to improve the Emory community with mentorship programs, increase funding for cultural clubs and resources for “non-traditional” students
In a statement to the Wheel, Newsome wrote that he was disappointed by the results but is optimistic about the outcome of a runoff race.
"While I’m disappointed I didn’t secure the position in the first round, I’m incredibly grateful for the support I’ve received,” Newsome wrote. “I look forward to continuing my conversation with ECAS students and earning their vote in the runoff!"
Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) Council election results
BBA Council Vice President of Programming Sydney Song (26B) won the BBA Council presidential election with 210 (52.63%) votes. Her opponent, BBA Council Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Cate Navarrete (26B), garnered 140 (35.08%) votes. Students also cast 49 (12.28%) votes of no confidence.
In total, 399 Goizueta Business School students voted in this year’s BBA Council presidential election, an 11.33% decrease from last year.
Song’s platform prioritized career development, transparency, community and well-being. She plans to establish a centralized BBA Council hub and anonymous student feedback systems, and she additionally hopes to support students in non-traditional business fields, introduce a buddy system for exchange students and enhance KEGS with music recommendations and alumni involvement. To promote well-being, Song plans to implement de-stress events and secure fitness discounts.
Song did not reply immediately for comment.
Simon Stumbris (26B) ran unopposed for BBA Council vice president and earned 294 (73.68%) votes to win the seat. The remaining 105 (26.31%) students who participated in the election voted no confidence.
Stumbris currently serves as the BBA Council’s vice president of programming. He plans to make BBA Council’s programming more transparent to students, use QR code surveys to gauge student feedback and ideas on improving Goizueta, and collaborate with organizations like Partnership for Southern Equity to reflect diversity in his programming, among other campaign promises.
Jacob Muscolino (he/him) (28C) is an assistant news editor at The Emory Wheel. He is from Long Island and plans to major in history and psychology. Outside of the Wheel, he is involved in Emory Reads. You can often find Jacob dominating the ping pong table, dissecting The New York Times, listening to the newest Taylor Swift album or exploring the next destination on his bucket list.
