Voter turnout for the Student Association (SA) and Campus Activity Board (CAB) elections more than doubled this year.

More than 1,500 students voted in the elections held Tuesday and Wednesday. About 750 students voted in 2012, and there were 1,189 votes cast in 2011.

Jack Barry, SA advertising director and junior marketing major, won the SA presidential race over senior accounting major Daihee Cho, 783-675. Cho is the SA director of student life.

“This was our goal from the beginning,” Barry said. “We had 1,500 students vote this year, so I want to see 3,000 students vote next year.”

Jonathan Freifeld, graduate assistant for leadership development, said candidates were more interactive than in previous years.

“We had a lot of people get out there,” Freifeld said. “Candidates were in the Student Center and over campus encouraging students to vote. A few directors handed out pamphlets letting students know who was voting, and where to vote. With the candidates out there, they show a face on campus, rather than students just hearing about them.”

Elliot Echols kept his position as student trustee, beating Ryan F. Dunleavy, 936-357. Echols was pleased with the election’s turnout.

“We started new ways in marketing that get students more engaged,” Echols said. “We always want more for the students. We want to make [the voting process] better.”

In addition to the impressive voter turnout was the passing of a Student Recreation Center improvement referendum, according to SA Senate Speaker James Zanayed.

“I’m excited about the referendum. We’ve been talking about it for two years now,” Barry said. “Elliot Echols, our student trustee, has been fighting for this for a while. Our Rec Center is small, it’s outdated, and the students deserve this.”

The referendum asked students if an improved Recreation Center should be a high priority in the immediate future; 914 students voted yes, and 364 said it should not be a priority.

“A high number of students voted on that,” said SA Senator Mike Theodore. “The administration takes that into account. When solid numbers like this come in on these issues, it proves what the SA has been saying for years. Two years ago, there was a referendum on if there should be a plus or minus grading system. A huge majority said no, and it really had an impact.”

Freifeld said the referendum’s passage was a huge success for the organization.

“With the referendum and the turnout at the elections, the students see that the SA is doing something to better the school,” Freifeld said.

Kaliah Smith was elected SA vice president and Ivan Garcia was elected SA treasurer in uncontested races.

Richard Moore was elected CAB president and Martha Ross was elected CAB vice president for programming in uncontested races.

Eddie Fisher Jr. won CAB vice president for administration with 779 votes. His opponent, Syed Umar Warsi had 328 votes.

James Alford beat out Ian Richard Long and Daniel Anton Herdzina for CAB vice president for finance with his 551 votes. Long had 265 votes, while Herdzina finished with 396.