ASWSU presidential and vice-presidential candidates Harald Hyllseth and Devon Holze gathered with friends and supporters at Holze’s Greek chapter at about 8:30 p.m. Wednesday night to await election results.

Their campaign earned just under 2,000 votes, about 46 percent of the total vote, according to the official election results.

When Hyllseth answered his phone, the room went quiet. Gasps rang through the crowd as news of a loss came through. Holze also answered her phone, holding back tears as Garett Kalt, current ASWSU vice president, called with a disappointing message.

“It doesn’t end here,” Hyllseth said. “We believe that the people who won this election now have an incredible burden to bear for the students of this university.”

Hyllseth explained how campus culture is always changing.

“We must hold them accountable,” he said. “Culture change doesn’t begin or end with Devon and I. It continues with the people who will be coming into college for the first time.”

Hyllseth said a memorable part of their campaign was getting to tell the students their passions and giving them an “unfiltered” message.

“We think we did it the right way,” he said, “and sometimes that doesn’t get you a win.”

He said they can take this experience and be incredibly proud of every single person on the campaign team, and proud of every student who was willing to listen.

“It’s about the relationships you create and holding the people who have the power to do so much good to the highest amount of accountability possible,” Hyllseth said, “because the people on this campus deserve just that, and nothing else.”