The second time around meant victory for Tim Ginn, CompSci ’08, who was elected COMPSA president on Wednesday night by a margin of 10 votes.
“It was a while coming,” said Ginn, who campaigned for the COMPSA presidency last year but lost.
He received 51 votes, and his opponent Vishaal Patel received 41 votes.
“It was a good election,” Ginn said, adding that his victory is going to take a while to sink in.
“I’m also really happy that some people who never voted before in elections went out this time.”
Ginn’s opponent, Vishaal Patel, CompSci ’08, is calling for a recount because of the slim margin of Ginn’s victory.
“I felt confident all day today, although I old myself several times today that I wouldn’t be angry if I didn’t get it,” Patel said. “I worked hard for it, and I did the best I could do. … I just didn’t get it.”
COMPSA Chief Returning Officer Nathan Chalmers said that, in order to have a recount, Patel needs to submit letters from 10 of the electorate by 11 p.m. tonight.
If there is a recount, it will occur tomorrow or Monday.
Patel said he won’t run for the currently vacant vice-president position on COMPSA.
“I could not see myself in that position as part of that team … [with] Tim as president.”
Ginn said preparing for the year to come is less clear this year than it would normally be.
“Obviously we had no one run for VP. But certainly there is some planning that can start now,” he said.
COMPSA President Liz Craig, on leave because she’s running for AMS executive with Team TPC, said she encourages a recount because of the close race.
“Considering the fact that it’s currently being contested, I would rather not comment,” she said. “Once it’s been finally established, I invite you guys to call me back.”
Craig said the vacant vice-president position is due to an overly large executive in a small society.
“The problem in COMPSA is not apathy—the problem is that more than half the student body is graduating,” she said. “COMPSA needs to be streamlined.”
–With files from Gillian Wheatley
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