Fifteen minutes before midnight, a slow rumble filled the Student Senate Chambers of Downing Student Union while students, staff and Student Government Association members shuffled in to hear the SGA election results. As the room buzzed with anticipation, doughnuts and milk were served while votes were finished and tallied.

After midnight, the votes were tallied, and as the speaker walked into the room, it became quiet. As the election positions were announced, small bursts of excitement arose from the crowd while new senators were being announced. An audible gasp was heard when the new SGA president was declared.

With a total of 1,497 votes, out of the 2,341 total presidential votes, Jay Todd Richey was re-elected as SGA president. Kate Hart, previously an Academic Affairs chairwoman and Richey’s running mate, was elected as the executive vice president. With a flurry of hugs and congratulations, candidates made their way through the crowd talking to friends.

“I’m ecstatic,” Richey said. “It’s a tremendous honor to be elected the first time, but a second time is verification of promises kept.”

From April 18 to 19, WKU students and staff had the opportunity to vote for SGA president, executive vice president, administrative vice president, sophomore student senator, junior student senator, senior student senator and student senator at large.

Hannah Neeper, previously SGA chairwoman for MyCampusToo, was elected to be the new administrative vice president for SGA.

“I feel wonderful,” Neeper said after the results were announced. “We worked really hard for it. We have gone to so many meetings. We’ve talked to so many people, and the amount of people that we have been able to reach for the SGA elections has been phenomenal. I am looking forward to the new executive branch and to the new people that I will be working with.”

The senior student senators elected include Zach Jones, Judy Dammer and Kaycee Gibson.

“I think that at the end of the day, some of the hardest workers and biggest contributors of the SGA were running for these positions at the SGA, and the fact that we are all still a part of this organization says a lot,” Zach Jones, who ran against Hart for executive vice president, said. “I am looking forward to working with everyone from Jay to Kate to Hannah to Braxton and to some of those guys that helped a lot with the campaigning.”

Junior student senators elected include Braxton Powell, Nathan Cherry and Meagan Ward. 

“It was a well fought campaign race, and I had a blast,” said Braxton Powell, who was Richey’s opponent in the presidential election. “I wish the best for Jay Todd, and since I was elected as a junior senator, I still want to work towards the things that were on the campaign platform.”

The sophomore student senators elected include Andi Dahmer, Ashley Cox and James Hill. 

The student senators at large include Luke Edmunds, Madison Keller, Alex Sergent, Savannah Molyneaux, Brian Anderson, Chase Coffey, Michael Shelton, Abdul Salam Olanrewaju, Amy Wyer and Kara Lowery.

Ed. note: A previous version of this article incorrectly listed several students as having been elected to senator positions. These errors have been corrected. The Herald regrets these errors.