Utah State University - » Primary election results: Vera leads business senator race

Primary election results: Vera leads business senator race

February 24th, 2015 Posted in Opinion

Marketing and finance junior Ben Vera amassed nearly half the votes in the Utah State University Student Association primary election for business senator. Aaron Bytendorp, who took about a fifth of the votes, came in second and will face Vera in a final election starting Wednesday.

The primary results were announced at 5 p.m. on Tuesday.

Vera, a native of Grantsville, received 45 percent of the primary votes. His goal, if elected, is to improve student success by focusing on professional development.

“The main reason we work for an education is to create an opportunity for ourselves to be able to provide for the future,” Vera said. “I want to assist in that process with every student that I can.”

Bytendorp, who grew up in Sandy, received about 22 percent of the primary votes. His campaign is targeting tuition and organization participation. He wants to inform his fellow students on where their tuition money is going and ensure those funds are put toward things he considers beneficial to the students.

“I have loved my experience in the Huntsman School of Business, but I think a few small changes could bring it to the next level,” Bytendorp said. “I want to be business senator so that I can make these changes.”

Voting for final elections will begin at 7 a.m. on Wednesday. Students wishing to cast a vote for either candidate must do so by 3 p.m. on Thursday, regardless of whether they voted earlier in the week.

“A lot of students don’t realize they need to vote for both primary and final elections,” Vera said.

Winter Enright, Sadie Hughes, Alyssa Roberts, Kelsey Schwab and Madi Watson contributed to this report.

-mdl