2012-2013 StuCo Officers Announced

Before the end of seventh hour marked the day that the 2012-2013 StuCo officers were selected. The new officers are: President Austin Weidner, Vice President Ashley Ferlage, Chief of Staff Kerry Moriarty, Parliamentarian Kelly Gannon, Secretary Hannah Brown, and Treasurer Hannah Mason.

Of all the candidates that ran, three of them were unopposed. One of those unopposed positions was the highest role: President.

“I would have ran no matter what,” Weidner said, “but it was nice to not have that stress.”

This year’s election was unlike most. There were many -what seemed to be- last minute changes to positions and competition. Some had dropped out of the election, and some had even changed what position they were running for. Positions that had once started out as running unopposed changed and added competition as an edge to this election.

“It was intense,” Mason said. “I was glad I had that competition.”

These faux last minute changes were due to the wording of StuCo’s constitution. The current members and sponsors had set a deadline for forms of last Friday until they had discovered that the wording of the Constitution in which they have to follow said, “The forms for validating candidates must be filled with the election committee by the Friday of the first full week of April,” This meant that many people that had missed or thought they missed the form deadline, now had a second chance to run, due to the fact that it was the first full week.

“There were a lot of twists and turns,” StuCo sponsor Jani Wilkens said, “but it was all fair.”

The constitution had also caused changes in the way that officers were elected. Ballots were cast during all lunches by students that wished to vote. The current officers and members of this year’s StuCo wanted to simulate the real voting experience. They wanted the officers to win because a student body wanted to vote instead of having it imposed on them during a homeroom.

“We were nothing but pleased with the way it turned out,” Wilkens said. “It was a good experience for students to realize they have a voice and can change.”

In the end, 399 ballots were cast and officers were named. Many have a positive attitude and are ready to bring new ideas to the table for the school.

“It was all a fair round, I wasn’t expecting anything out of it,” Gannon said. “Now I’m just excited and ready to get next year started.”