In the final week of what might be the last 30-day Ohio University Student Senate campaign season, candidates scrambled to get last-minute votes.
Students can vote from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday electronically or on the fourth floor of Baker University Center.
Throughout the season, many candidates used an online presence to push their platforms and this week was no exception.
Independent presidential candidate Jared Henderson did not raise money for his campaign but said he will continue to reach students via his Tumblr account, Twitter and Facebook events.
“You don’t want to overwhelm people with too many notifications, so I am trying to find the right balance,” Henderson said.
Presidential candidate for yOU Tony Koehling also concentrated on pushing his campaigning efforts online. After raising $145, yOU will spend the final hours talking to students in Baker Center and on all the university’s greens.
Koehling also launched another YouTube video that highlighted different points in yOU’s campaign.
“We think (the video) is awesome,” Koehling said. “We think that it turned out really well. The video not only is fun, but it shows the good side of OU and it shows what our ticket is all about and why we think that our ticket should get elected.”
REACH, which was expected to raise between $2,500–$4,000, has distributed pens and buttons to students outside Baker Center. The party also will be grilling and will be handing out popsicles at College Gate.
“We are going to keep talking to students to get the word out,” said Zach George, REACH’s presidential candidate. “Trying to get people out to vote is what we are doing right now.”
Jiuqing Cheng is the only other independent candidate. He is running for the SAC at large senator position.
Cheng, who is satisfied with his campaigning efforts, has spent $50 printing flyers on and off OU’s campus.
“The most important thing is that I will let students know about the election and ask them to vote,” Cheng said. “I will visit places on campus to ask students to vote for next year’s senate.”
On Thursday, voters also can take a stance on OU’s Budget Planning Council, an addition to the ballot senate made at last week’s meeting.
Voters have the option of answering three questions on the ballot: “Do you feel there is enough student involvement on BPC?”; “Do you feel that student input and opinion are respected on BPC?”; and “Do you agree with the financial advice BPC has provided the Board of Trustees, inadvertently or directly provoking a tuition increase?”
The Board of Elections will announce the winners at 8 p.m. in the Bobcat Student Lounge.
“I’m not sure (how it will go),” said Kate Steven, chair of the Board of Elections. “I’m hearing a lot of different things. I hope all candidates get the word out to students and let them know the game plan for (today).”
Once in office, Steven said, the new senate members will vote on this year’s Board of Elections’ recommendations, which include shorter campaign seasons and clearer procedures that define how to put additional issues on the ballot.
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