Kalien Clark has been named the new Associated Students Inc. treasurer after winning last week’s runoff election with 55.27 percent of the vote, beating ASI Senator-at-Large Dominique Noble, who received 44.73 percent.
“I’m really honored that the students chose me and that they also gave me the second opportunity to go through elections again,” Clark said.
ASI Government Elections Officer Jessica Dirks revealed the election results in front of a small crowd at the University Student Union Southwest Terrace on Friday. Upon hearing the news, Noble congratulated Clark and shook her hand.
“It was definitely more emotional than it was the first time,” Clark said. “You just really want to show the students how passionate you are about helping them, so that really comes out in the second round.”
In the first round of elections, Noble had received 48 percent of the vote, while only 40 percent of students voted for Clark.
A total of 2,808 students participated in the runoff election, which is roughly 7.9 percent of the student body and 68 percent of the 4,127 students who participated in the general election, Dirks said. About 12 of the student body participated in the general election.
Current ASI Treasurer Agatha Gucyski, who ran for president on the same ballot as Clark, was walking toward the Southwest Terrace when the results were announced. When she found out Clark had won, Gucyski ran to hug the newly elected treasurer while screaming in excitement.
Gucyski said that hearing news that Clark had won was a relief.
“Of all the results in ASI in this election, this was the one that was most important to me, even more than the presidency,” Gucyski said.
Gucyski said the position of treasurer is “incredibly technical” and that the role needs to be filled by someone who is responsible. She also said that if the candidate is not qualified, many people could be hurt.
“It just makes me so happy to know that the next person coming in is going to do such a great job and carry on all the changes I made, while bringing the skills she has to this position to enhance it and make it something better,” Gucyski said.
Noble said he enjoyed the campaigning process despite his loss.
“I felt like it was fun because I met so many students and I had a renewed vision of them, what they want to do, and why they’re here,” he said. “That is something that ASI needs to be looking at.”
Noble said he has stressed since the beginning that every Cal State Long Beach student is “looking for an experience” when they come to school. He looks forward to seeing ASI fulfill their mission by making sure that students have the opportunity to gain whatever experience they desire.
Although he lost the treasurer position, Noble said he plans on staying involved with student representation by continuing to lobby on behalf of students and higher education, while exploring other options.
Clark said she is excited to work toward the goals she included in her platform, which include spreading awareness about ASI grants and scholarships and creating an operational manual for future ASI treasurers.
“I’m looking forward to actually sticking with what I said I was going to do during my campaign,” she said. “I didn’t overpromise.”