A high level of name recognition and student-athlete turnout, combined with an intense get-out-the-vote drive, propelled Progress Party candidates Kristie Ayres and Jackie Smith into Undergraduate Student Government’s top offices Wednesday.

Ayres and Smith seized their respective offices with 692 votes. Saluki Party candidates Sean Henry and Greg Akers followed with 521 votes and Shakedown Party candidates Rob Taylor and Pat Kelly finished with 494.

In addition to taking the executive seats, the Progress Party captured 22 senate seats. The results surprised some observers who predicted a close race between the Progress and Shakedown parties.

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Though the campaigning remained fairly low-key until Tuesday, the final days preceding the election were a whirlwind of grievances and negative advertising.

An anonymous student dressed as chicken for Greek Week appeared in the Student Center and Faner Hall telling students to vote for the Progress Party. Several anonymous fliers attacking Taylor and Kelly also appeared across campus. Additionally, almost 20 grievances were filed during the course of the election.

Exit polls Wednesday show name recognition as the most important factor in the USG election, with student fees and diversity also topping the list. The Progress Party’s dramatic win could be attributed to its name recognition as the party had at least four workers stationed outside each polling site Wednesday, distributing literature concerning its FAITH (freedoms, academics, input, technology and housing) message. The party’s USG insider status also contributed to their win. The party has been crafting strategy and recruiting candidates and energizing supporters for this spring’s election all year, using their wealth of administrative resources. The Progress Party also has been campaigning tirelessly for the last two weeks, drawing first blood in residence hall, RSO, and greek systemb canvassing.

It comes as no surprise that the Progress Party also benefited from an onslaught of athletes coming to the polls, including the entire football, swimming, and tennis teams. Ayres and Smith likely won the hearts of athletes by default because of an intense backlash against Shakedown Party candidates, some of whom have ties to the vocal Students Organized Against the Athletic Fee organization.

Shakedown Party vice presidential candidate Kelly said his party’s turnout Wednesday was a little disappointing as its members were not as motivated as they should have been.

Though the Progress Party and the Saluki Party had campaigners outside all four polling sites, the Shakedown Party left all but the Student Center unattended for most of the day.