Junior Tomas Garcia's platform of change based on experience trumped junior Ben Richards' newcomer appeal when results from the Tufts Community Union (TCU) presidential race at midnight showed Garcia as the winner in a landslide victory.
"I am absolutely floored," Garcia said following the announcement. "I am humbled and honored to have been chosen by the student body to this position, and I look forward to serving it in that capacity."
Thirty−one percent of the student body — 1593 undergraduates — voted in yesterday's election via WebCenter.
Garcia ran against his sole opponent, Richards, based on his experiences as a four−semester TCU senator and a plan to rejuvenate the body and the school.
He won with 78 percent of the vote.
Garcia campaigned with an aim to unite the campus with projects, such as a weekly email newsletter to increase attendance at cultural and sporting events.
Other ideas included encouraging the Resident Assistant system to provide mentorship rather than discipline and amendments to the administration's policies on marijuana and alcohol use.
Garcia credited his campaign team with the win.
"I've been blessed with a staff who worked tirelessly, who sacrificed, and I am eternally grateful to them," he said. "This isn't my victory; it's their victory."
Tufts Elections Commission Chair Katherine McManus, a sophomore, praised both candidates and their support systems.
"I think that both campaigns worked really hard and both utilized unique ways to access the student body, and we applaud their creativity," she said.
McManus attributed a drop in turnout from last year's 47.79 percent to the fact that this year's ballot did not include any referenda, unlike last year's ballot.
Garcia expressed his eagerness to begin work as president of the body.
"I'm very excited to move ahead with my platform," Garcia said. "I'm very excited to change institutions here at Tufts University. I'm very excited to unite the student body as Jumbos. I couldn't be more thrilled."
He added that he hoped to collaborate with Richards, who will serve on the body next year.
"I think he has a lot of good ideas, and I think there's a lot to be done that Ben could bring to the table," Garcia said.
Outgoing TCU President Sam Wallis, a senior, praised the winner.
"I think Tomas will be a great leader for the Senate next year," Wallis said. "He's somebody who is going to reach out to different groups all across campus, [and he] will be able to get things done because he has a track record … of getting things done."
Wallis expressed hope that Richards would apply his campaign's outlook in his capacity as a member of the Senate next year.
"I think Ben asked some really interesting questions in his campaign, and I think it's great that he's still going to be on the body next year because that's absolutely a point of view that needs to be spoken about," he said.
Richards praised Garcia's campaign and commented on the election's result.
"Tomas ran a really good campaign. … He was organized right from the beginning," Richards said. "I should have just voted for Tomas and made it unanimous."
McManus said the election ran smoothly and commended both Garcia and Richards for their professionalism.
"I was happy to see that the election did not get personal, which we have seen in the past," she said. "Each candidate really stuck to the issues and what was at stake for the student body, and we think that makes for a healthier campaign."
Correction: This article has been changed to reflect the correct number of voters in the election. A total of 1593 undergraduates voted.
