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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (March 11, 1999)
_ __ hi —aMKj— --•yi « ■Mini ne ——•'■ ^iriiP^iigwaasaBr ^^waam Lane Hickenbottom/DN FOCUS PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE Paul Schreier, center, announces his and Jon England’s 20-vote defeat to their party at Main Street Cafe on Wednesday night. Second vice-presidential candidate Trisha Meuret, left, won her position by 165 votes. Focus comes up short; Meuret wins By Ieva Augstums Senior staff writer All it took was one phone call in a downtowr Lincoln bar Wednesday night and the efforts ol 1,217 UNL students ended with a single sigh pleased with the election of second vice presiden tial candidate Trisha Meuret, but disappointed with two losses. “It’s finally over,” said Paul Schreier, ASUN Focus party presidential candidate, who lost tta election by 20 votes. “I look at our loss not as c defeat, but the student body's own victory.” Though 65 percent of the party’s senate candi dates were elected into office last week, Schreiei and Jon England, Focus vice-presidential candi date, were unable to capture the focus of 20 addi tional University of Nebraska-Lincoln students ir Wednesday’s runoff election. But both candidates said their message go through with Meuret s election. “This is a victory for the Focus party,” Schreiei said. “Our message was to focus on the student; and their concerns, and we were able to do so with Trisha.” ^ " Last week ASUN election officials determined Voice party presidential candidate Andy Schuerman’s narrow presidential victory - along with that of his first vice-presidential running mate, Rachelle Winkle - and Meuret’s second vice-presidential victory were not enough to secure the offices. As a result, UNL students went to the votmg booth one more time Wednesday in a runoff elec tion to determine next year’s Association of Students of the University of Nebraska's executive offices. A total of 2,467 students - or 12.03 percent of the student body - turned out for Wednesday s tight runoff, 242 votes (1.17 percent) fewer than the first election. i Schreier and England lost to the Voice party by 20 votes, by unofficial results. Meuret defeated Voice second vice presidential candidate Vernon Miller by 165 votes, unofficially. Focus candidates said they were not certain if they would ask for a recount of the votes, which they will have to decide by Friday. Meuret said she was honored the student body elected her into office, but said she was disappoint ed to hear it was a split ticket. “I’m sad and I’m happy,” Meuret said. “All I can do is think about those 20 vote - just 20 votes.” Focus party campaign manger Andy Faltin said though the party had exhausted all efforts to get its entire ticket elected, he hoped a spirit of cooperation would pervade ASUN offices next year. “We fought a hard fight against good oppo nents,” Faltin said. “It would be a lot harder to lose when you’re up against bad opponents.” Schreier and England both agreed with Faltin and said they wanted to thank everyone who sup ported the party. “Yes, it’s 20 votes, but the overall support we received was phenomenal,” England said. “If given the opportunity to do so, I would do it again. The relationships I have built are tremendous.” Schreier said the party conducted a grass-roots effort, making personal contact and establishing relationships with many university students. “We tried to make as many contacts with dif ferent faces as possible,” Schreier said. “I’m not disappointed at all. I have established relationships that were not there a week ago. I wouldn’t change that if I even could.” The executive candidates were uncertain if they would continue their involvement in ASUN; however, Schreier said he would most likely involve himself in other campus organizations and activities. Schreier has been involved with ASUN for the past three years. “There’s so much to choose from and do here,” Schreier said. “I will continue to strive to make a difference at this university.” Meuret said her first job in office would be to make sure her party’s goals and concerns would be addressed next year. Schreier said he had full confidence in Meuret’s future performance and had no doubt in her abilities. “Focus will still strive to serve its students on this campus,” Schreier said. “I may not be in office, but the focus we voiced to all UNL students will be.” Daniel Luedert/DN IN ANTICIPATION OF the vote count, Voice sec ond vice presidential candidate Vernon Miller, bottom left, and Rachelle Winkle, first vice presidential candidate, wait while presiden tial candidate Andy Schuerman writes down the final results in Wednesday’s ASUN elec tions. Schuerman and Winkle won in * Wednesday’s runoff, while Miller lost. Voice party victorious by 20 votes VOICE from page 1 a Wednesday runoff election was necessary because neither candidate gained 50 percent ol the vote last week. Schuerman offered no commentary aftei the announcement and simply turned to hug his running mates. Later, Schuerman said one of his first reac tions was one of disappointment after the bitter sweet victory. “We really went into this as a team and came out as a team,” Schuerman said. “A blow to one of us is a blow to all of us.” Winkle, who talked with tears in her eyes after the split victory, said she would make every effort to include Miller in student govern ment. If he would have won, Miller would have held the position of campus commissioner, a liaison between different groups and ASUN. Winkle said. “I think he will still do that,” she said. Winkle mentioned the possibility of Millei heading up a group that lobbies ASUN with stu dent concerns. With the victory of Meuret, Schuerman said he was ready to incorporate Focus ideas with Voice ideas. Along with the mixture of Voice and Focus ideas in the executive offices, Schuerman said he was prepared to work with a senate that con X tains a Focus majority. “I really am not worried about it,” Schuerman said. “We brought together a diverse group of ideas in our party during the campaign, and I think that’s what we’ll have as a senate.” While Schuerman said he was excited about looking ahead at what the next year will con tain, he was also excited about the results of the day’s events and the high voter turnout. “If the effort of Focus was half as much as Voice, I’m not surprised (about the high voter turnout),” Schuerman said. A total of 2,467 students voted during the second election in two weeks, a total of more than 12 percent of the student body. The strategy the Voice party supporters used to mobilize voters helped secure a victory. Winkle said. “This time we weren’t quite as in-your face,” Winkle said. “We didn’t single people out, and we used pickets.” Mike Buckneberg, a junior business major and Voice party supporter, said the unique strategies the party used to get people to vote worked. “We didn’t have to pester people to vote,” he said. “They knew why you were there.” Now that two weeks of elections are over, Schuerman said his first step as student body president would be to try to get back to normal and catch up on all the homework and work he The votes are in President, IstV.P. Jon Frank/DN has missed out pn during the last two weeks. But once he gets back into the routine and the senate and executive office start working together, Schuerman said, students should watch out. “I really think with the combination on the senate there is a vast amount of potential for great things to happen.”
