The first meeting of the 16th session of Associated Students of Madison Friday evening yielded mixed results.

The new ASM body intended to use the first meeting to elect a new chair, vice chair and secretary, as well as several smaller leadership roles in various ASM committees.

However, members struggled to move past debate and fill the various roles, and the meeting was ultimately forced to conclude at midnight, as is required by state law, without electing any of the three major positions.

Representative Brian Benford and representative Tyler Junger are currently in the running for ASM chair.

Representatives took turns asking the two candidates questions, yet after several hours of discussion, the conversation began to center around the age discrepancy between the two candidates. Junger removed himself from the meeting, stating he would not come back until the debate returned to a more relevant topic.

“I have always been tapped into various student organizations and have attended events, and my experience may be different, but my No. 1 responsibility is to put peoples’ interests before mine,” 49-year-old Benford said in defense of his age.

Junger said his job at the Liz Waters Dining Hall and daily interaction with different types and ages of people qualify him as well.

Ultimately, a vote resulted in a tie of 13 to 13. A recount yielded the same results, and representatives discerned it would be in violation of ASM rules to continue with the elections of the vice chair and secretary until chair had been determined.

The committee also tried to call upon the four absent members of the council in an effort to get an odd number of representatives and a deciding vote.

By the time representative Axel Hernandez made it to the meeting, however, the council had already decided to postpone the vote.

Although representatives were discouraged by the deadlock for the leadership position, ASM member Kurt Gosselin said, several committee heads were decided upon.

Representative Steven Olikara beat out new member Alexandria Harris for the position of diversity committee chair.

Harris focused on increased funding for a multicultural floor in every residence hall, if elected, while Olikara said focusing on multicultural floors would overlook the point of a diversity committee altogether.

“You could easily say, ‘Let’s increase funding,'” Olikara said. “And that might be one solution. But we need to think of a broader solution.”

Olikara instead said the group should focus on improving the racial climate on campus by more clearly defining words such as diversity and multicultural.

The majority of ASM members voiced support for Olikara based on his success in reviving the diversity committee over the past semester.

Melissa Hanley was also elected as the Shared Governance Committee chair in an uncontested race.

The vote for chair, vice chair and secretary is scheduled to take place Tuesday.

“My hope is that at least the chair will be decided,” Gosselin said. “I think that regardless of the outcome, the Student Council should be looking at the types of experience people have. It will really require experience in leaders at ASM to really bring new members in and make an effective student government.”