Yamillet Payano, a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences, has been elected Student Government President in a special election to replace former president Taylor Dumpson, who resigned in January.
SG elections commissioner Jacob DeGoes said the official number of votes cast would not be available until Monday.
Payano will serve for the remainder of Dumpson’s term, which ends May 1, and will be sworn in Sunday. In an interview with The Eagle, Payano said she did not take her victory for granted, though she was the only candidate to appear on the ballot.
“For some odd reason, I was like, “I don’t want to take it until I hear it,’” Payano said after the results were announced. “My mom always tells me, ‘you prepare for the worst, but you hope for the best,’ so that’s my motto for everything, even if I’m the only one running.”
Payano previously served as director for diversity, equity and inclusion in Dumpson’s executive board and a senator representing the College of Arts and Sciences. She has also been involved in the Latinx and American Student Organization.
During her campaign, Payano acknowledged that she will be in office for a short period and vowed to focus on specific projects, including publicizing the Hub for Organizing, Multiculturalism and Equity, or HOME, and ensuring a smooth transition for the next SG president. The formal elections for the 2018-2019 SG executive board will take place in March.
