For the first time in SGA history, there has been a tie between two candidates running for a position on the SGA Senate.

A special runoff election took place between the tied candidates, Sen. David Chapnick and first-year Cammy Schiller, April 17 and 18, Sen. David Brandt stated in an April 17 email.

The winner of this election will be an SGA senator for the 2017-2018 academic year.

There were 37 open seats on the senate, and 42 senators ran for election for the upcoming year, Sen. Zach Merson said.

“I’m extremely excited for the results,” Schiller said. “I am obviously hoping to make the cut, but it has been great fun to be a part of this.”

Schiller hopes to improve advising as well as the conservation of resources at UVM, she said.

Chapnick is a current senator serving on the Committee for Diversity, Inclusion and Equity, while Schiller is a first-year student with no previous SGA experience at UVM, although she was student body president at her high school, according to her platform.

“Many of us are rooting for David since he’s a familiar face and a would be a welcome addition to the new senate, especially considering next year is his last at UVM,” Merson said.

In the past year, Chapnick has worked on an ad-hoc committee to reinstate reading days and plans to continue to do so in the upcoming year, according to his platform.

Chapnick also plans to take the reigns on outgoing Vice President Tyler Davis’ Safe Ride Home program, he said.

“[Being a senator] really pulled back the curtain when it came to making the change I wanted to see in my surrounding environment,” Chapnick said.

The candidates will be informed about the results of the election before the final SGA senate meeting of the year, which will take place April 18.