By Jodi Banks, On-line Forty-Niner
April 14.1997
With tap shoes strapped to her feet, Naomi Rodriguez, waited in anticipation Wednesday night to find out the election results.
Trying to forget about what was on the line, her presidency, Rodriguez tap danced up and down the University Student Union halls. At 11 p.m. Rodriguez was announced Associated Students Inc. president with a 58.2 percent vote.
"I was totally excited," Rodriguez said about election night. "I felt there might be a run-off, plus they kept prolonging the results."
Rodriguez beat Dominic Lamboy and Joe Lopez for the presidency.
Davian Freeman was elected by 52.3 percent to the A.S.I. vice president position, winning over Tyson Chaney and John Powell.
There will be a run-off election for the treasurer position. According the Senate bylaws, a candidate must receive over 51 percent of the votes in order to obtain that office.
Ian Coleman received the highest percentage of votes but the count was 45.1 percent, not enough to push him over the top.
Sheryl Mauricio received 28.9 percent and Jennifer Gaitan received 26.0 percent of the votes.
There will be a run-off election between the top two contenders, Coleman and Mauricio on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Coleman said he was upset about the second election because it was only costing the Senate more money. He said that because the margin was so large, there should be no question about who won.
The candidates will be sworn into office June 1. The top three executives make $1,200 a month according to Senator Tyson Chaney. This works out to about $14,400. They also receive $100 a month on a Beach Club Card for purchases at the 49er Shops and their registration fees are paid for, Chaney said. Coleman verified this information.
Rodriguez said that now that the elections are over she can really sit down and get started on her platform.
She has already started working on some event she wants to accomplish this semester.
Rodriguez is going to start by getting the A.S.I. involved as an integral part of SOAR and STARS. "Freshmen are ready to conquer Long Beach State," she said.
She is also getting ready to put together a carnival. "In talking to students I found that they really liked Kaleidoscope," Rodriguez said, "I thought why don't we emulate that, with a different angle."
"It will be totally student run and something new," she said.
"Long term, I'm working on more graduation ceremonies in The Pyramid,"
Rodriguez said. "There is no reason in my opinion, why we shouldn't
have graduation in The Pyramid."