After one of the most historic national elections in U.S. history, student government elections didn’t generate much interest.

In the UOSA elections held Tuesday and Wednesday, only 1,155 voters, or around 4 percent of eligible voters, turned out to elect the Interfraternity Council President and new members of Student Congress.

Elections chairman Raymond Rushing said that although the number seems small, it represents a decent turnout for a fall election.

“More people definitely vote in spring elections,” he said.

UOSA spent months promoting the OU Votes campaign, and Kelly Edson, energy management and economics sophomore, said she thinks the Nov. 4 elections sidetracked many students.

“Part of the reason for the lack of participation is because of the national presidential [election],” Edson said.

She said although young people’s enthusiasm for political at the national level is important, it may have hindered fall Student Congress elections.

But Brett Stidham, international business and human resources management sophomore, said fall student government elections are never as prominent as spring elections.

The spring elections are for higher-level positions, like Campus Activities Council chairman and student body president.

More Student Congress seats are open in the spring as well.

Spring ballots also contain campus-wide referendums that require more preparation than is possible preceding fall elections, said Frank Wood, zoology and biomedical sciences senior.

He said the Dead Week referendum that passed in the spring was promoted on campus before the election so students had the information they needed to vote.

Classes begin in August, and having a major item on the ballot in November would shorten the preparation period, Wood said.

“It gives them time to build up momentum,” he said.