‘Putting you first’ sweeps

The candidates on the “Putting You First” ticket, which includes Annette Ponnock, Kingshook De and Mike Beninati, were announced as the winners of SG elections Wednesday evening at the Rat.

“I’m so excited and so proud of everyone that worked with us,” Ponnock said. “I’m so appreciative and grateful.”

Ponnock, along with her ticket and supporters, jumped up and screamed with joy when her name was read by Elections Commission Chair Martin Cruz-Mesa.

“We had some incredible people helping us,” De said. “So many people sacrificed sleep and time to let [other] people know what a great group of people we brought together. We really will represent the UM community.”

The turnout in the election was low compared with the last two presidential elections: 1,301 students cast a vote for president this year, as opposed to 1,967 last year and 1,895 in the presidential runoff election the year before.

Cruz-Mesa first read the winners for SG Senate seats before announcing the winners for treasurer, vice president and president.

In figures released by Cruz-Mesa to The Hurricane, Ponnock won by a majority, garnering 123 more than her closest competitor, Mike Levine; De received 60 more votes than his closest competitor, Mariana Rego; and Beninati received 206 votes than more than his closest competitor, Michele James.

The “Make Life Easier” ticket was shocked.

“I’m really surprised,” Levine said. “We’re disappointed because we had the experience to get things done and put a lot of work into our ideas. I guess that’s just how things happen.”

Brown, who was not present for the results, offered his congratulations to the Ponnock in a phone interview with The Hurricane.

“I think the students are still getting a confident candidate and I hope to meet with her in the near future and work on the ideas that students brought to us,” Brown said. “Hopefully, there will openness to those ideas.”

Ponnock said she could not wait for next year, but looked to the near future immediately after the results.

“Our first order of business will be to celebrate at the party at my house tonight [Wednesday],” she said. “The first SG order of business will be following Pete [Maki] around everywhere he goes and meeting the people he knows.”

Greg Linch can be contacted at g.linch@umiami.edu.