ASBSU 2023 Election Results
Thank you for your participation in the ASBSU student government elections. The total number of voters in the Spring 2023 ASBSU Student Government Elections was 1,770, which was 12% of the eligible voters.
Associate Vice President of Inclusive Excellence:
Diego Tapia wins with 1446 votes, 90.7% of the votes cast for this position
Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs:
Kalista M. Barkley wins with 1433 votes, 90.1% of the votes cast for this position
Associate Vice President of Student Organization Affairs:
There is no majority winner (50%+) among the four Associate Vice President of Student Organization Affairs tickets in the first round. The second preferences of the choice receiving the fewest first preferences are distributed to the remaining three candidates, with that unpopular choice eliminated from the race. We then add up the votes for those top three choices. If there is still no majority winner among the three choices, then the second preferences of the next lowest-ranked choice are distributed to the remaining two candidates, with that lowest-ranked choice eliminated from the race. We then add up the votes for the top two choices (here we use third preferences, see further for details). There should be a majority preference for one of the candidates at this point. Note: There were 1,584 votes cast for the Associate Vice President of Student Organization Affairs position and 186 voters abstaining from voting on this position.
Round 1
Joe Engstrom = 707 first preference votes (44.6%)
Ian Peña = 490 first preference votes (30.9%)
Paul Massaad = 319 first preference votes (20.1%)
Write-in Ticket = 68 first preference votes (4.3%)
The Write-In ticket is eliminated and the second preferences of Write-In ticket voters are distributed amongst the three candidates. The results for the second round are:
Joe Engstrom = 707 first preference votes + 29 Write-In Ticket second preference votes = 736 votes (46.5%)
Ian Peña = 490 first preference votes + 28 Write-In Ticket second preference votes = 518 votes (32.7%)
Paul Massad = 319 first preference votes + 11 Write-In ticket second preference votes = 330 votes (20.8%)
Since there is still no majority winner, the Paul Massaad is eliminated and the second preferences of those who voted Paul as their first preference are distributed among Joe Engstrom and Ian Peña. In order to ensure that all votes are counted we must take into consideration the people that ranked the Paul Massaad as their first preference and then ranked the Write-In ticket as their second preference, since Write-In Ticket and Paul were eliminated. There are 18 of those voters. In this instance, we then use the third preference of those voters to redistribute those 18 votes.
Another issue is what to do with the additional 11 ballots where voters ranked the Write-In ticket as their first preference and Paul Massaad as their second preference, since they are both eliminated. In this case, in order to account for those votes in the third-round allocation, we must take all the third preference votes of those 11 voters and redistribute them to Joe Engstrom and Ian Peña.
With all of this in mind, the results for the third round are:
Joe Engstrom = 707 first preference votes + 29 Write In ticket second preference votes + 128 Paul Massaad second preference votes + 8 Paul Massaad third preference votes when Write-In ticket was second preference vote + 2 Write-In ticket third preference votes when Paul Massaad was second preference = 874 votes (55.2%)
Ian Peña = 490 first preference votes + 28 Write-In ticket second preference votes + 173 Paul Massaad second preference votes + 10 Paul Massaad third preference votes when Write-In ticket was second preference vote + 9 Write-In ticket third preference votes when Paul Massaad was second preference = 710 votes (44.8%)
The end result is that Joe Engstrom wins with 55.2% of the vote in an Instant Runoff Election.
President and Vice President:
There is no majority winner (50%+) among the four President and Vice President ticket choices in the first round. The second preferences of the choice receiving the fewest first preferences are distributed to the remaining three candidates, with that unpopular choice eliminated from the race. We then add up the votes for those top three choices. If there is still no majority winner among the three choices, then the second preferences of the next lowest-ranked choice are distributed to the remaining two candidates, with that lowest-ranked choice eliminated from the race. We then add up the votes for the top two choices (here we use third preferences, see further for details). There should be a majority preference for one of the candidates at this point. Note: There were 1,677 votes cast for the President and Vice President position and 93 voters abstaining from voting on this position.
Round 1
Chey Sheen and Jason Holman = 632 first preference votes (37.7%)
Isaac Celedon and Zachary Jorcyk = 576 first preference votes (34.4%)
Abby Smith and Sarah Kazarinoff = 403 first preference votes (24.0%)
Write-in Ticket = 66 first preference votes (3.9%)
The Write-In ticket is eliminated and the second preferences of Write-In ticket voters are distributed amongst the Chey Sheen and Jason Holman ticket, Isaac Celedon and Zachary Jorcyk ticket, and Abby Smith and Sarah Kazarinoff ticket. The results for the second round are:
Chey Sheen and Jason Holman = 632 first preference votes + 21 Write-In Ticket second preference votes = 653 votes (38.9%)
Isaac Celedon and Zachary Jorcyk = 576 first preference votes + 32 Write-In Ticket second preference votes = 608 votes (36.3%)
Abby Smith and Sarah Kazarinoff = 403 first preference votes + 13 Write-In ticket second preference votes = 416 votes (24.8%)
Since there is still no majority winner, the Abby Smith and Sarah Kazarinoff ticket is eliminated and the second preferences of Abby and Sarah ticket voters are distributed among the Chey Sheen and Jason Holman ticket and the Isaac Celedon and Zachary Jorcyk ticket. In order to ensure that all votes are counted we must take into consideration the people that ranked the Abby and Sarah ticket as their first preference and then ranked the Write-In ticket as their second preference, since Write-In Ticket and Abby and Sarah were eliminated. There are 40 of those voters. In this instance, we then use the third preference of those voters to redistribute those 40votes.
Another issue is what to do with the additional 13 ballots where voters ranked the Write-In ticket as their first preference and the Abby and Sarah ticket as their second preference, since they are both eliminated. In this case, in order to account for those votes in the third-round allocation, we must take all the third preference votes of those 38 voters and redistribute them to the Chey and Jason ticket and the Isaac and Zachary ticket accordingly.
With all of this in mind, the results for the third round are:
Chey Sheen and Jason Holman ticket = 632 first preference votes + 21 Write In ticket second preference votes + 190 Abby and Sarah ticket second preference votes + 19 Abby and Sarah ticket third preference votes when Write-In ticket was second preference vote + 8 Write-In ticket third preference votes when Abby and Sarah ticket were second preference = 870 votes (51.9%)
Isaac Celedon and Zachary Jorcyk = 576 first preference votes + 32 Write-In ticket second preference votes + 170 Abby and Sarah ticket second preference votes + 24 Abby and Sarah ticket third preference votes when Write-In ticket was second preference vote + 5 Write-In ticket third preference votes when Abby and Sarah ticket were second preference = 807 votes (48.1%)
The end result is that the Chey Sheen and Jason Holman ticket wins with 51.9% of the vote in an Instant Runoff Election.
Proposed Constitution Amendment:
The ballot included a vote for proposed Constitution amendments brought forward by an ASBSU Constitutional Convention. The amendments passed by a simple majority. The constitution amendments will take effect at the start of the Fall 2023 semester. You can learn more about these changes on the Constitutional Convention website.
The results are based on the Yes/No votes. Abstain votes were not factored in the results. This decision is based on procedure used in Robert’s Rules of Order. Because there is no policy that requires Abstaining votes to contribute to the overall election results, they will not apply here. Abstaining was still an option and was still a vote, however, under the previously referenced procedure do not contribute to the overall election result. 279 students voted to “abstain” and 116 students did not submit a response.
Yes = 764 votes (55.6%)
No = 611 votes (44.4%)
The proposed Constitution amendments are approved and will go into effect at the start of the Fall 2023 semester.
These results have been verified by advisors and an independent professor in the School of Public Service. For more information about Instant Runoff Voting systems, check out this short informational video or read more on FairVote.org.