Results are in: Referendums passed, Student Government elected

922 Minnesota State University, Mankato students took part in the 2022 Student Government Election held on Monday and Tuesday this week, passing two referendums and electing the 90th Student Government leaders. 

Two referendums were brought to the student body, as both the Student Activities Fee and Athletics fee need a majority student vote to increase more than 2%.

The Student Activities Fee was raised 4.46% from last year, citing raising student leader wages as well as the hope to move the Green Transportation Fee to its own fee separate from the Student Activities Fee. 

The Student Activities Fee referendum was passed by the student body, winning 60.53% of students’ votes. 

The Intercollegiate Athletics Fee was raised by 5.25%, citing increases in transportation costs as well as the relatively low fee rate when compared to other universities in the Minnesota State System. 

The Intercollegiate Athletics Fee referendum was also passed, with 58.73% of students voting to support the increase. 

In addition to the referendums, Emma Zellmer and Idman Ibrahim were elected as president and vice-president respectively with a majority vote of 556 students.

“Idman and I are both honored and grateful to serve the students of Mankato next year,” said the newly elected President Zellmer. 

 Zellmer and Ibrahim ran under the party Empowering Mavericks, along with 22 student senator candidates. 

Empowering Mavericks took an overwhelming win with all 22 of their candidates winning seats on the senate. 

The party ran on platforms that would advocate for the creation of a leadership council, greater accessibility measures, as well as address parking concerns. 

Zellmer is excited to hit the ground running, as she will be sworn in next Thursday at the 90th Student Government inauguration. 

Zellmer said, “As a 4th generation MSU student, I’m excited to make sure we come out of this pandemic better, more equitable, and more just.”

Header Photo: Idman Ibrahim (left) elected as Vice President and Emma Zellmer elected as President of Student Government for the upcoming 2022-2023 school year. (Dylan Long/The Reporter)

Write to Maxwell Mayleben at Maxwell.Mayleben@mnsu.edu