After Wednesday’s election, two freshmen with the same number of votes will step into the Student Government office as UT’s first first-year representatives.

Economics freshman Kornel Rady and business sophomore Amanda Goodson came into the position after each receiving 291 votes, 23.24 percent of all votes.

Goodson said she was interested in running for the position because SG is the voice of the student body.

“It is the link between the students and the administration,” Goodson said. “This position is new this year, and this new position give students a voice through me.”

She said she served on her high school student council and acquired a drive to help other people.

The election process went smoothly, with 1,252 first-year students voting at computers across campus, said SG vice-president Ashley Baker. The two winners had notable campaigns, Baker said.

"Kornel had a really cool campaign trail,” she said. “Amanda had a series of videos online that were almost like fireside chats. Both of them had a really strong online presence.”

The representatives will begin by joining one of the six committees in SG’s legislative assembly so they can start working with their new colleagues, Baker said. First-year students in the UT community can now bring any concerns they might have to their first-year representatives, she said. The first-year representatives will participate in SG’s legislative assembly with all of the rights of other representatives, she said.

“All of our representatives are really excited to have them on board and get started,” she said.

Printed on September 22, 2011 as: First-year students win inaugural SG election