Drew Lederman and Maggie Misztal were more than a little nervous Thursday night after the polls closed in the Student Association election. Banished from the SA office while the votes were tallied, Lederman, candidate for SA president, and Misztal, who was running for comptroller, fidgeted with a rubber-band ball at the Schine Student Center’s information desk while awaiting the results. They were never very far from their cell phones.

Then, the phone rang.

A flurry of excitement gave way to frustration as the pair realized it was only a friend calling to wish them luck.

Finally, after nearly two hours of waiting, the call came.

Lederman grabbed nearly 84 percent of the votes to become the next SA president, with the only serious challenge to his bid coming from nearly 9 percent of votes that went to write-in candidate Jamar Hooks. Misztal took the comptrollership in a tighter race, receiving nearly 63 percent of the votes over her opponent, Rosslyn Ortega.

SA officials were pleased with the voter turnout of 1,490 students, making up about 12 percent of the combined Syracuse University and State University of New York College of Environmental Science student bodies. Board of Elections and Membership Chairwoman Jessie Cordova said she was pleased the election finished with no complications or complaints.

‘I’m pleased with [the] voter turnout we’ve had in just four days,’ said SA President Andrew Thomson. ‘I look forward to a successful transition into the 48th session.’

Lederman said he is taking a brief break to relax after two difficult weeks of campaigning before he starts his transition, which will include at least 20 hours spent shadowing Thomson to learn the ropes of the presidency.

‘I’m just really happy to be able to serve the students as their elected representative,’ Lederman said.

He has already chosen SA assembly member Travis Mason to be his vice president.

Misztal was not only pleased by her victory, but relieved as well, since she believed the race between Ortega and herself would have been tighter.

‘I definitely thought it was going to be a close race,’ she said.

At least one of the defeated candidates harbored no bitter feelings after the loss. Hooks, a junior political science, sociology and policy studies major, said he wished Lederman well and wouldn’t mind taking some position on his administration.

‘I hope he places minority issues on his agenda,’ Hooks said.

Ortega could not be reached for comment.

Published on November 6, 2003 at 12:00 pm