ASUA election turnout up 57 percent

Ray Quintero and Kristel Miller won the presidential ASUA primary last night in an election that saw voter turnout increase by 57 percent.

The voter turnout for this election was 2,398, compared to 1,532 last year, said Joe Rodgers, the Associated Students of the University of Arizona elections commissioner.

"Voter turnout was overwhelming," Rodgers said. "These numbers show that not only did people vote but they took the time to read the candidate (biographies) and voted for more than one person."

Quintero, a marketing junior, was ahead with 897 votes or 37.4 percent of the total. Miller, a political science and English sophomore, followed with 547 votes or 22.8 percent. All candidates for executive vice president, administrative vice president and senate advanced to general elections on March 7.

The results were announced on the UofA Bookstore steps to a crowd of about 50 candidates and supporters. This was the first time ASUA elections were done online.