Although students still are digging out from the weekend snow that blanketed the University, candidates for University offices said their campaigns are plowing full steam ahead. Voting started Tuesday and will continue through 8:00 p.m. Thursday night.
Now in the homestretch of intensive campaigning efforts that began last Wednesday, candidates said the shortened final week and the inability to chalk have not seriously affected their campaigns.
"The weather was unfortunate, but that has only given us more drive to get the word out," said second-year College student Daisy Lundy, a Student Council presidential candidate.
"It was a big problem with the sleet coming down on Monday and with the sidewalks still draining," said Scott Killian, an Arts and Sciences Council presidential candidate. He added though that walkways are drying out and candidates should be out chalking again.
Third-year Engineering student Ed Hallen, also a Council presidential candidate, said he has been working hard to get his message out in light of the weather by passing out handbills, sending e-mails to supporters and through word of mouth.
Candidate enthusiasm remains high, but because of adverse weather conditions and a shortened week of classes, both those running and current Council officers said they are unsure of what impact these conditions will have on voter turn out.
"I don't think it will affect voter turnout," Council Vice President for Administration Atima Omara-Alwala said.
In an effort to encourage voter participation, Omara-Alwala said Council would be putting out table tents in University dining halls and sending e-mails to students.
"We're going to flyer more to make sure to get the word out," Election Committee Chair Julie Teater said.
Individual campaign workers say they are banking on new, more creative methods of publicity and what they consider to be the strength of their message.
"We expect a high voter turnout and expect a large number of people to vote who usually don't," said David Wasserman, a Lundy deputy campaign manager. "We have a very strong operation to make sure the groups who support us do vote."
Council Coordinator of University Committees Ryan McCarthy said he expects voter turnout to be slightly lower than in years past.
Because of the general awareness of the election on Grounds and Council's efforts to remind students to vote, Killian agreed with McCarthy that voter participation should only slightly suffer.
Traditionally, only about 30 to 35 percent of the entire student body votes in University elections, while 40 percent of undergraduates vote, Teater said.
McCarthy, also Chair of the Coalition, a coordinating body for the five largest minority groups on Grounds, said his organization will continue to work hard on the behalf of Coalition-endorsed candidates.
The weather only "forced more creativity in how we campaign," McCarthy said.
Candidate supporters can be seen sporting campaign t-shirts and reaching out to voters on the Lawn, he said.
Perhaps the most creative campaign antic is washable line chalk, which candidates are spraying on the snow and is legal, Teater said.
Polls opened online yesterday at 8:00 a.m. and close tomorrow at 8:00 p.m. If needed, a University-wide runoff will be held Feb. 25 and 26.
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