Ten minutes before voting closed Thursday, the withdrawal of Tony Godfrey decided the race for next year’s Students’ Association president. Samuel Palomares, junior communications major from Elsa, will take office as SA president for the 2010-11 school year.

SA officers would not release Godfrey’s vote count because he was no longer a candidate. Charles Gaines, current SA president, said turnout was “pretty consistent” among the three races, and students can accurately compare Palomares’ numbers to those of the other winners.

Godfrey, junior political science and English major from Burleson, also resigned as vice president Thursday after the Office of Student Life received reports of an off-campus incident that occurred last week. Dr. Jean-Noel Thompson, vice president for Student Life and dean of students, and Dr. Jeff Arrington, associate vice president for Student Life, declined to comment.

Jonathan Pendergrass, junior architecture major from Hershey, Penn., was present at the incident. Pendergrass said a racially insensitive comment from Godfrey crossed a line.

“I think, being a leader, that’s something you can’t do,” Pendergrass said. “You have to be aware of all the cultures you’re going to be leading.”

Godfrey described the incident as a personal matter between “two longtime, close friends.”

“Individuals outside our friendship took it upon themselves to make this matter public without the knowledge of Jonathan or myself,” Godfrey said in an e-mail. “I hope that we can move past this and continue to grow closer and learn from one another as a community.”

Election Results

President

Samuel Palomares – 438

Vice President

Jared Elk – 414

Scott Adrian – 295

Treasurer

Carson Henley – 258

Chris Shim – 447