After three days of open polls, the 2010 Associated Students of Olympic College student government elections came to a close and votes were counted May 21, resulting in three new members and two incumbents.
Ryan Brown was voted ASOC President, with Jon Terry as vice president of communications, and Himesh Bhargo returning as vice president of judicial affairs. For the satellite campuses of Shelton and Poulsbo, Sarai Sloan and Thelma Corbin, respectively, were elected vice president. Corbin is the former vice president of communications.
Out of the approximately 8,500 students enrolled at OC for spring quarter, 261 voted.
After the results came in, a petition was filed by candidate Shawnie Balmer suggesting a re-election.
Balmer’s claim was that literature informing students how to vote was not delivered in a timely manner. Students also had technical trouble during the first day of voting, and Balmer said she believed the results were affected by it.
Director of Student Programs and Leadership Development Toni Hartsfield confirmed the technical issues encountered during the elections.
“It was a problem we didn’t anticipate,” said Hartsfield.
She said 12 students contacted her personally for technical assistance, and she was able to successfully guide them through the voting procedure. The error was a matter in which student PINs were used as passwords.
“I don’t think there was anything the students could have done about the software program,” said Hartsfield, while also recognizing it was the responsibility of the ASOC to ensure voting was accessible to all students.
All circumstances considered, the ASOC election committee ruled to go forth with the initial results, verifying the inauguration of the previously listed candidates. According to Megan Uhrich, a committee member, the committee deliberated for hours until finally concluding that although there were errors, the students that wanted to vote were able to.
As ASOC president, Ryan Brown said he intends on continuing the plans former President Jon Bowers has already initiated. He said he wants to work toward further student involvement and “make OC a college people want to come to.”
Brown is also involved in the Rotaract Club and is a member of the Safety Coalition. He is currently an engineering trainee at the Navy shipyard and plans on pursuing a degree in civil engineering.
Vice President of Communications-elect Jon Terry’s primary focus is to get students involved in campus activities. He said he plans on selecting 20 random students each month to have a luncheon with the ASOC to encourage student input and familiarize them with the functions of their student government.
“This is not just a place to get a degree, but a place to build a community, make friends, and get involved,” said Terry.
Terry is pursuing an associate degree and intends on becoming an EMT. He said he is also an aspiring actor and is currently working on a film with Himesh Bhargo.
Bhargo said he wants to be approachable to students and continue serving as their voice.
“For me, it’s all about what the students want to do,” said Bhargo.
In his spare time, Bhargo said he enjoys directing and editing films. He plans on pursuing a degree in multimedia, and majoring in special effects.
“I want to make this world a better place with my films,” he said.
Thelma Corbin, vice president of Poulsbo intends on bridging the communication gap between the Poulsbo campus and the main campus.
As the nursing program relocates to Bremerton, Corbin said she wants to seize the opportunity to institute new classes in Poulsbo, but she seeks student input about the particular classes to be offered.
Corbin is a nursing assistant and works in home health care. She is currently working toward a nursing degree and desires to return to OC as a teacher after some experience in the field.
“What a better way to give back,” she said.
“This year is going to be very productive,” said Brown. “We all get along very well and have already been working together. It’s going to be a more cohesive group than last year, and you’re going to see more team involvement.”
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