Sitt and Benveniste eliminated in primary

Ian Mayer Arizona Daily Wildcat Assistant Elections Commissioner Robert Sandoval (left) reads off the ASUA Primary results last night in the Rincon Room in the Memorial Student Union. Gilbert Davidson (second from the right) was on hand to congratulate the candidates.

Both Sitt, a finance junior, and Benveniste, a political science junior, were not present when the winners were declared.

Assistant Elections Commissioner Robert Sandoval, who announced the results at 10 p.m. in the Memorial Student Union Rincon Room, said presidential candidates Tara Taylor and Patrick Williams will move on to the general elections Tuesday and Wednesday.

Taylor, who lead Williams by 313 votes, said she was pleased with her initial accomplishment.

"I'm amazed and thankful," Taylor said, who resolved to "get out there and campaign harder."

Administrative vice presidential candidates Ryan Rosensteel and Jason Hand also will advance to the general elections.

Although Rosensteel prevailed over Jason Hand, a mechanical engineering junior, by 368 votes, Rosensteel said his work isn't over yet.

"I'm excited that students had confidence in me," said Rosensteel, a molecular and cellular biology and political science sophomore. "You put so much on the line."

Both executive vice presidential candidates automatically advanced to the general elections, but Francisco Aguilar, an accounting and finance junior, received more votes than his opponent, Mary Brandenberger.

Brandenberger, a junior studying English and journalism, said she was "somewhat surprised" to hear that Aguilar topped her by a 795-616 margin.

While all ASUA Senate candidates will move on to the general elections, the primary election was an indication of who the voters favor.

Emily Dunn, a marketing and finance junior, led the pack with 438 votes, with Janet Rico, a political science and communication junior; Jonathan Fine, a political science junior; Josué Limón, a political science and Mexican American studies senior; and Ty Trujillo, a business economics freshman, rounding out the top five.

"If anything, these results are going to make me campaign more," Dunn said.

Dunn said she had success because she told students to "get out and vote."

Ten senators will be elected to office in the general elections.

Maria Rodriguez, who finished ninth in the primary, said she is happy with her position.

"What stands out to me is that people voted for me because my platform is genuine," she said.

Elections Commissioner Marcos Hernandez said yesterday although candidates are welcome to review the primary election results, he guaranteed accuracy thanks to a new Pima County computerized voting system.

Less than 4 percent of the UA's student population - 1,339 voters - turned out for the two-day primary election.

"It was a low turnout compared to other years," Hernandez said. "The rain might have been a factor."

He said, however, there should be a greater turnout for the general election.

"Candidates are going to do more advertising and students will have to decide the close races," Hernandez said.

Students can check out ASUA candidates' profiles on the World Wide Web at http://www.asua.arizona.edu/candidates.

All of the remaining candidates have been invited to a Residence Hall Association forum tonight at 5 p.m. in Old Chemistry Room 134. A presidential debate is also scheduled for 8 tonight in the Memorial Student Union Tucson Room.

Presidential primary results:

President:

*Tara Taylor 832 52.20%

*Patrick Williams 519 32.56%

Joseph Sitt 243 15.24%

Other results

Executive Vice President:

*Francisco "Cisco" Aguilar

795 56.34%

*Mary Brandenberger

616 43.66%

Administrative Vice President:

*Ryan Rosensteel

764 54.26%

*Jason Hand

396 28.13%

Michael Benveniste 248

17.61%

*Advances to general election

Senators:

*Emily Dunn 438

*Janet Rico 410

*Jonathan Fine 399

*Josué Limón 349

*Ty Trujillo 343

*Benjamin Graff 338

*Jeff Fields 338

*Ferdie Echiverri 333

*Maria Rodriguez 329

*Benjamin Lopez 316

*David Snyder 310

*Mai Luc 286

*Marisa Hall 275

*Brett Suma 234

*Michael Dobbs 221

*Eric Hochstatter 191

*Travis Klein 188

*Advances to general election