TCU special election fills positions amid low turnout

The Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate held a special election yesterday in order to fill several positions which were left open at the end of the fall semester.

Junior Kathryn Mueller won the only contested position, the Tufts Community Union judiciary (TCU-J) open seat, with 47 percent of the votes, Ryan Hartney, head of public relations for the Election Commission (ECOM), said. Three students competed for the position, he said.

According to Hartney, a total of 429 people voted in the election, or 7.45 percent of the school.

"The numbers are very disappointing though it was expected to a certain degree, since these elections took place in the middle of the year just to fill in some empty positions," Hartney, a sophomore, said.

Among the uncontested seats, Daniella DiPaola filled a Junior Class Council seat, which falls under Programming Board, Hartney said.

Tafari Duncan, a sophomore, took the open seat on the Committee on Student Life (CSL), he added.

Juniors Michael Zalesne, Caroline Higley, Daniel Vargas and sophomore Brad Mullen have filled three Junior Senate seats and one Sophomore Senate seat, respectively, Hartney said.

First-years Ania Ruiz and Vintus Okonkwo and sophomore Alexander Trubowitz have garnered the open, paid positions on the Election Commission,which are application-based.

Hartney explained that the election was planned for Tuesday, Feb. 3, but the election was postponed to the next day due to weather-related difficulties.