Campaigns for freshman elections began last Tuesday, with 34 candidates running for nine elected positions. This year’s crop of candidates are employing a variety of methods to get their message out to the freshman electorate.
p. Facebook has taken a prominent role in the campaign, with all but one of the candidates in the races for president, vice president of social affairs and vice president of advocacy using the social networking site’s “group” function as a means of advancing their campaigns and platforms.
p. Some candidates are running on make-shift tickets. Their Facebook groups include the platforms of other candidates.
“Facebook really gives everyone a chance to get the word out, because we haven’t really had a lot of time to meet everyone,” presidential candidate Stephanie Apple ’11 said.
p. Many Facebook groups include the candidates’ platforms, campaign schedules and qualifications for positions in the Student Assembly.
p. Another popular method of campaigning comes in the classic form of posters tacked on bulletin boards or dorm doors.
p. Bright colors, rhyming slogans and humorous photos are intended to increase name recognition in a race where many voters are unfamiliar with the candidates.
p. In the stairwells of Yates Hall, posters are nearly overlapping in an effort to shore up support for candidates.
p. Elections will be held this Thursday.