The senior class now has its own "Sweet Sixteen"--finalists in the race to be one of eight senior class marshals.

The 16 candidates were narrowed from a pool of 77 hopefuls during three days of voting last week.

The Harvard Alumni Association (HAA) released the results of the balloting on Friday.

Roughly 50 percent of the senior class voted last week, according to HAA staff member Orquidea Martinez who helped oversee the election. She said the turnout rate is on par with past years and is expected to be similar for the second round of voting.

In the wake of the results, several of the finalists said they were surprised to have survived the first vote.

"I was surprised and happy to find that I was in the final 16, but I really hope I can make it through the last round," said Aaron D. Goldberg '01, a class marshal finalist from Adams House.

But with the surprise now somewhat faded, the candidates said all that is left to do is wait.

"You have no real control over [the election]," said Rachel L. Brown '01, of Pforzheimer House. "It's based on what you've done over the years, who you've touched base with. I'll just have to wait and see."