As students trek across campus this morning, they will be greeted with colorful fliers and eager campaigners on the Oval and chalk-covered sidewalks begging for their votes.
Monday marks the beginning of two weeks of campaigning for Undergraduate Student Government presidential and senatorial hopefuls.
“Every year we begin elections with the idea that this year’s elections are going to be better than last year’s and it’s my belief that we can hope for the best,” said Election Governance Board Director Nick Steinbrecher.
Last year’s elections were marred by controversy after several last-minute violations and the subsequent disqualification of one presidential team.
“They’re all great people so we’re all just going to kind of keep it clean and hopefully get our ideas across that way,” said Dan Kavouras, presidential candidate and a junior in political science and economics.
In a mandatory meeting held by the EGB Friday, Steinbrecher discussed the election’s rules about chalking, posting fliers and encouraged candidates to lead clean campaigns.
“The purpose (of the meeting) is to get candidates more familiar with the actual campaign process. It’s also a kind of check-your-attitudes-at-the-door sort of situation so candidates can ask questions,” Steinbrecher said.
According to the Facilities Operations and Development Web site, candidates must use water-soluble chalk and cannot write on vertical surfaces, benches, light poles or trees.
This year’s presidential candidates run the gamut in terms of experience, with current vice president, Kate Christobek, and Pete Steele, a USG student senator, on a single ticket for president and vice president, respectively. Kavouras and his running mate, Luke Brewer, are roommates with no prior USG experience.
Presidential candidate Jim Fondriest is a junior in biology who has served as director of the USG Intern Program. Fondriest’s running mate, Katie Krajny, a junior in sociology, is active in Ohio Staters, Inc. Presidential candidate Jacob Larger, a junior in political science, has been active in College Republicans. Kat Grossklaus, a junior in English and a member of Allies for Diversity, is Larger’s running mate.
“It’s going to be more like two years ago when we had a lot of people running as opposed to last year when it was really between two people,” said Nick Marconi, a USG student senator.
The first of two debates between the four presidential teams will be held Thursday at 7:30 p.m. in room 100 Mendenhall Lab. The second debate will be held April 10 at 7:30 p.m. in room 14 University Hall.
Undergraduate students will able to vote in the elections April 12 and 13.
Mary Dannemiller can be reached at [email protected].
