After weeks of campaigning, undergraduate students across campus are letting their voices be heard in the Student Association (SA) elections.
When polls closed Tuesday evening, 1,023 student votes were counted, according to Joshua Boston, member of the SA Elections and Credentials Committee and former managing editor of The Spectrum.
Boston attributes the abnormally high amount of opening-day voters to the "change" frame of mind stemming from last November's presidential election.
"It's that change mentality," Boston said. "[Students] also have three great parties to choose from."
Another factor in participation in the voting process comes from the situation, according to Boston. Because SA leadership ran unopposed last year, people never had the opportunity to vote.
"Students missed voting last year, especially seniors," Boston said. "They had the same administration last year and now they're going out, so students want the chance to make an impact."
While candidates have spent most of March campaigning, they are doing whatever they can until the election winners are announced Thursday night.
Latin American Student Association Treasurer Ernesto Alvarado, The Student Party's vice president candidate, explained the benefit of talking to students as they approach the polls.
"A lot of the parties have a great deal to offer," Alvarado said. "By explaining our points now, by meeting people hands-on, I hope it puts us over the edge."
Greg Robbins, treasurer candidate of the Unified Party, was also taking advantage of the opportunity.
"Our biggest thing right now is explaining ourselves," Robbins said. "Our approach is working for us."
Robbins hopes that by speaking to students now, they can use the next two days to make up their minds.
"We want them to use the next two days to make an informed decision," Robbins said.
For the Students' Voice Party, last minute campaigning was done in hopes of connecting with the students as best they could.
"I'm trying to get our information out there," said Matthew Key, the party's vice-presidential candidate. "I want to stress that we are here for the students. We want to help them get more involved and to understand what is going on with SA."
Volunteering has been a welcome addition for each party as their individual campaigns have bloomed. For Mark Boonshoft, a junior history major, passing out flyers for the Unified Party was the best way to stand up for what he believed in.
"I thought other major party platforms were ridiculous," Boonshoft said. "Unified is a great balance with experience."
Bryan Bukland, a sophomore environmental studies major who supports The Student Party, is helping out friends while hoping to donate his time so the party can get a boost in votes.
"It's been a great afternoon," Bukland said. "It's very hard to see what everyone is thinking, but to see everyone passing out flyers and balloons and talking to people, it's great."
Undergraduate students have had mixed opinions on why they decided to vote for SA leadership.
Sean-Paul Williams, a sophomore psychology major, would not have voted if it weren't for the intense campaigning occurring in front of Campus Tees.
"I was just walking by," Williams said. "I would have never voted if they didn't stop me and speak to me."
For students like Natalie Tronolone, a sophomore business major, voting was a necessity. After reading every platform, Tronolone was confident in voting for SA leadership. She felt it was important to cast her ballot because of the power surrounding SA positions.
"They are the people that represent us," Tronolone said. "It's important to get involved."
SA elections continue on Wednesday and run through Thursday. The polls will open at 10 a.m. and close at 6 p.m. in the Student Union.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
