‘After about 37 sleepless hours and a straight-ticket victory, I”m on cloud nine right now,’ said Nick Sarcone, Student Government Association president-elect, after learning the results of the election Monday night. All five members of Ticket to Tomorrow were elected to the SGA executive board.
Standing room was not even an option available to guests awaiting election results at Sarcone”s apartment Monday evening. Friends, family and volunteers who assisted with the campaign were in attendance to support Ticket To Tomorrow. Anxiety filled the air, as election results were not announced until two hours after the polls closed.
Before being informed via KSLU of the results, Sarcone thanked all who volunteered their time. Sarcone, executive vice president candidate Maria Rodriguez, financial vice president candidate Justin Butler, academic vice president candidate Deanna Durret and administrative vice president candidate Sarah Keller sat anxiously with their eyes fixed on the television. As midnight approached, Election Commissioner Luke Young entered the KSLU studio with the results in hand.
A Rolling Stones song followed, further delaying the results, and the crowd openly expressed their disapproval.
Rather than get nervous about the news to come or frustrated with the postponement, Sarcone”s twin brother and co-campaign manager Jim remained confident and optimistic.
‘We”ve worked very hard, put in a lot of time and we feel that we are the most qualified ticket,’ Jim Sarcone said. ‘I think the results will show that the rest of the student body feels this way.’
As the clock struck midnight and the Stones song came to an end, Young reappeared on television. The crowd sat or stood silently as the winners of the senate seats were revealed. For those crowded into Sarcone”s apartment it was Cinderella in reverse: Twenty-three of the 25 candidates endorsed by Ticket to Tomorrow were victorious.
Sarcone continued checking with co-campaign manager Matt Love, who was analyzing the senatorial votes in hopes of predetermining the results of the other races, as Young began announcing the winners of the executive board. Keller held hands with friends, and after hearing her name as the winner, a cheer erupted from the audience.
Following Keller was Butler, who defeated his opponent, Paul Fitzgibbons, by more than 300 votes. Durret was next, and because she was the only candidate running for the position, it was no surprise that she was triumphant with more than 1,800 votes. The tension continued to increase as Young paused before announcing the winner of executive vice president.
Maria Rodriguez awaited the election results while covering her eyes. After she was informed that she defeated Anne Lampe by more than 100 votes, however, Rodriguez jumped up and embraced her fellow candidates.
‘This is SLU history,’ exclaimed Rodriguez, who also noted the high caliber of her competition. ‘I am most proud because Anne Lampe is an incredible person to run against.’
The results, however, were not complete and no one dared to uncross their fingers as the next SGA president was announced.
As Young informed the viewing audience that Sarcone was victorious, beating Justin Lampe by more than 800 votes, the crowd went wild. Tears and hugs were in abundance and camera flashes went off simultaneously as the Ticket to Tomorrow gathered in a huddle.
