Junior and current Student Association President Brandon Hill will remain in the position for a full academic year.
Hill, the former SA executive vice president who originally ascended to the presidency in January, was elected to the SA’s top spot in the organization’s first fully virtual election season. He ran on a platform to add more positions to the executive branch and improve student inclusivity in the SA.
“I’m thankful for all the support and love that the campaign has received thus far,” Hill said. “I’m thankful to all the voters, even those who didn’t vote for me, for doing their civic duty. But I look forward to earning their votes throughout the academic year.”
Hill served as SA executive vice president until former SA President Howard Brookins’ resignation two months ago. Prior to serving as executive vice president, Hill worked as an SA senator and helped establish the first-ever Black Senators’ Caucus.
Hill clinched the presidency with 54.8 percent in the final round of ranked-choice voting against SA Sen. Charles Aborisade, U-at-Large, former SA Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion Hannah Edwards and junior Christian Zidouemba.
Through a ranked-choice voting system, the candidate with the least number of first-place votes is eliminated from the race, and the remaining candidates move on to the next rounds until a candidate secures more than 50 percent of the vote.
Over three rounds, Aborisade was eliminated in the first round, Zidouemba in the second round and Edwards in the final round. Hill remained in first place throughout each of the rounds.
“The broad range of support for this campaign was both unexpected and humbling,” Edwards said. “We were so close, and this shows students are ready for real institutional change. I will dedicate the remainder of my time at GW to building a broader foundation for students from all backgrounds.”
Aborisade did not immediately return a request for comment. Zidouemba declined to comment.
SA Sen. Kate Carpenter, U-at-Large, was elected SA vice president with 57.5 percent of the vote. Carpenter ran on a platform to improve student access to mental health care and menstrual products on campus and increase school spirit.
“[I’m] humbled, excited, pumped,” Carpenter said. “I’m literally going to start on my job tomorrow. Just feeling lots of love, lots of support.”
Carpenter defeated SA Sen. Sofia Packer, CCAS-U.
“I am naturally disappointed at the loss, but I am so, so proud of the campaign we ran,” Packer said. “When I launched, I was told repeatedly that I stood no chance, and I should just back off and run for reelection. I said ‘no,’ and I’m incredibly proud of all the work that my team has done. I really hope that our message will not die, even though our campaign was unsuccessful.”
A total of 3,246 votes were cast in the election, according to the Joint Elections Commission – the body that oversees SA elections.
About 93 percent of students backed a referendum that will update the SA’s constitution to establish two new methods for the SA president to leave office. One avenue would allow for the president to leave on their own accord, while the other would allow for members of the executive cabinet to vote to remove them if they are found “unable” to carry out their job.
About 93 percent of students also voted in favor of a referendum that pushes officials to add an urban studies minor in the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences.
Lauren Sforza and Samantha Serafin contributed reporting.
