Before the results of the runoff election for student body president are announced today, candidates Brandi Arnold and Jean Cocco walked across campus Wednesday to talk to students about the importance of voting on the last day.

“The strategy was basically just for all the students to hear our platform and fall in love with it,” Arnold said. “If they didn’t vote before, we wanted to make sure they knew our platform. If they had, we just wanted them to vote again.” 

Cocco said he spent the day encouraging students to revisit both campaigns and understand their platforms before they make their decision and vote.

“It’s important students get involved in our Student Government now so they are aware of the process and, when they’re older, be more involved in making decisions,” he said.

Both candidates said they would rest well Wednesday night, despite the imminent election results, which will be unofficially announced today at 1 p.m. in the Marshall Student Center Amphitheater.

“I’m cautiously optimistic,” Cocco said. “It’s one of those nights where you think what more could we have done? But our campaign has run a hell of a campaign, and we’ve done hard work. We feel good.”

Arnold said she is relieved about the end of campaigning.

“I really want to capitalize on being a regular student for now,” she said.

During the first round of voting, Cocco received 48 percent of the votes, while Arnold received 39 percent. In order to have won without a runoff, a candidate would have needed at least 50 percent plus one vote.

While the unofficial results will be announced today, there are five grievances that have not been decided by the Election Rules Commission who have already found Cocco’s campaign guilty of two minor violations. Cocco said he is appealing to the Student Government Supreme Court, but if either candidate receives three minor violations or one major violation, he or she will be disqualified from the election before results are certified Friday at 5 p.m.