Executive candidates campaign to students until the last minute
March 8, 2005
As Tuesday’s voting deadline for the Government of the Student Body executive positions looms, candidates are working on last-minute campaigning by chalking sidewalks, distributing flyers and shaking hands.
“[Today] we’re doing a lot of the same stuff we’ve been doing all along,” said presidential candidate Henry Alliger. “I’m out on campus handing out flyers and talking to people. We have some people that did some chalking this morning and we’re going to talk at some meetings tonight.”
Presidential candidate Angela Groh and running mate Chris Deal are also pushing to pick up any last-minute votes.
“We are going to be all over campus,” Groh said. “We’re going to be basically everywhere we can be. Our entire campaign is based on word-of-mouth. We have people that are supporting us, and our goal is to have them spread the word about the ‘Groh Deal.'”
The Groh/Deal campaign is assisting with the local blood drive to “get the word out” about voting and its slate, said Groh/Deal campaign manager Louis Kishkunas.
Caleb Shinn, GSB elections commissioner, said the debates and campaigning have been very equal and balanced, promoting a much tighter race.
With all the last-minute campaigning, candidates must follow additional rules during the two days of the election, Shinn said.
“There is no campaigning within 25 feet of the polling places, which is any computer lab,” he said. “That is the main rule they have to follow.”
With the election in progress, many students find themselves undecided.
“I haven’t voted, but I also haven’t been out of the house today,” said Cheri Adgerson, junior in advertising. “I really haven’t decided [who to vote for]. I don’t know, and I normally won’t make the decision until I get there. It’s close for me, because I agree with both [Alliger and Groh].”
Apathy is also a trend for this year’s election, just like with those in the past.
Jim Glaw, sophomore in pre-business, said he considers his opinion about the election to be normal for students.
“I haven’t voted today, and I don’t think I will. I don’t care enough,” Glaw said.
“There’s never anything about it out there that affects me, and I don’t see any benefits [to voting].”