For the second year in a row, the SGA presidential election was extended an extra week for a special run-off election.

Candidates Derek Martin and Chris Day faced off with Jon Ambrose and Jeff Morris in the run-off, which began ends today at noon.

Ambrose and Morris received 990 of the 2186 votes, or 45 percent of the popular vote while Martin and Day received 848 of the 2186 votes, or 38 percent.

Candidates James Smith and John Dellanoche received only 13 percent of the vote and will not participate in the run-off election.

SGA rules require a ticket to receive 50 percent of the popular vote in order to win the election.

As neither ticket was able to secure 50 percent of the vote in last weeks’ election, the SGA will hold a run-off election this Thursday and Friday.

The rules for the run-off remain the same as the regular election.

Candidates will have an extra week to campaign and the run-off will be held Thursday and Friday.

With the extra week, candidates again went back to the people in last minute efforts to sway voters.

With so many votes still up for grabs and the race so close, any pick-up by any ticket could prove to be the deciding factor in the election.

Despite the long process to get to this point, neither ticket was deterred by having to wait one more week for the final results.

“It’s been a very long process, Jeff (Morris) and I began as soon as we came back from Christmas break,” said presidential candidate Jon Ambrose.

“The idea of having an extra week is like having to run one more mile. It’s something we are prepared to do.”

He added, “In terms of the rules, we need more than 50 percent and we’re pretty confident we can pick up some votes, we’re upbeat about it and optimistic.”

The other presidential candidate Derek Martin echoed similar sentiments.

“This week we were able to give 100 percent, hit every door and get our program out there, hopeful the people respond,” said Martin about having to campaign for an extra week.

He also seemed optimistic that his ticket could pick up the necessary votes to win.

“I’m glad that we have an opportunity to win and hopefully we can pull thorough,” said Martin.

Despite the uncertainty surrounding the outcome of the presidential election, the senate elections did produce clear-cut winners.

In the Senator races, Jennifer Woytovich took the Arts Senator position, Christopher Meehan retained his post as Sciences Senator. Renna Antonio took the Commerce and Finance Senator position and Gavin Tully took the Engineering Senator seat. Both candidates ran unopposed. The nursing seat is vacant.