Amplify ticket wins RHA elections

The results for the 2002 Residence Hall Association election are in, with the Amplify ticket emerging as the winner. The team of senior Ilia Smith, junior Katie Wampler, freshman Eric Cercone and junior Eric Hafner won every position in the campus-wide RHA election.\nAccording to RHA election commissioner Ryan Amtmann, a senior, the results of the election will not be made official until 7 p.m. tonight. Until that time, a written contestment for any of the election results may be filed.\nAmtmann said he does not expect there to be any contestments filed.\n"There were a lot of mixed ticket ballots," Amtmann said. "Unlike the IUSA ballots, students have the option of choosing individual candidates. It can make individual elections much closer, but it also allows students to choose and not be limited by ticket."\nThirty-one votes separated the outcome for the top candidates in the RHA presidential race. Amplify presidential candidate Ilia Smith said she and board members were pleased with the outcome and are anxious to get started.\nSmith said she and her ticket members were notified of the election results around 10 p.m Tuesday.\n"We found the results when Ryan (Amtmann) called my room," Smith said. "We were all at my place and were anxious and nervous to hear the results…afterwards we went to Denny's to celebrate."\nAfter the voting booths closed at 7 p.m. Tuesday, ballots were taken to the Residence Hall Association office, where the election commissioners tallied the votes, Smith said.\nSmith said she predicts students responded to the Amplify ticket because they liked the ticket's ideas about providing better cable service in the dorms. The group had proposed a push for the availability of premium channels. Other goals for Amplify include working on their relationships with whoever wins the IUSA election and improving their relationship with the IDS as well, she said.\nThe elected Amplify executive board members are slated to take office in early April, but Smith said much of the work to be done involves preparation.\n"We're trying to get directors for positions and get to know the center presidents," she said. "Most of our work will be getting to know new faces."\nSenior Jake Oakman, current IUSA student body president, served as the Amplify ticket's campaign manager. Oakman said he too was pleased with the outcome.\n"Amplify are the right people for the job," he said. "Ilia is a great person. I'm very fond of her work…Since I've been here, this is only the second time an RHA election has been contested. I think that's good because it adds more creditability when you have competition. I think the good side won"