In comparison with last year’s contentious Ohio University Student Senate campaign season, tickets vying for office in 2012 have practiced tame tactics and clean campaigning.
On Thursday, voters will choose next year’s Student Senate between independent candidate Jared Henderson and two tickets — REACH and yOU.
Those tickets have accounted for zero disqualifications this campaign season. Last year’s tickets, FACE and RSVP, accounted for nine and three disqualifications, respectively.
During the past 28 days, presidential candidates have participated in two different Board of Elections debates. Candidates will face off for a final time Monday during The Post’s executive debate at 5 p.m. in 145 Walter Hall.
“I think that everything’s been good,” said Kate Steven, chair of the Board of Elections. “We haven’t seen any complaints, and it’s been less hectic.”
The majority of this year’s few fireworks stemmed from disorderly conduct violations with the Athens Police Department. One caused yOU’s treasurer candidate, Eric Holley, to drop out in the first week of campaigning. Henderson also had been charged with a disorderly conduct violation.
Also during last week’s debate, REACH defended against accusations of being administration-friendly, stating that it was “pro-student.”
At the beginning of the campaign, the two tickets and Henderson had vastly different campaign budgets. REACH had planned to spend up to $4,000, yOU $145 and Henderson chose not to spend money on his campaign.
REACH has spent 18 of the previous 28 days in the campaign season tabling outside Baker University Center distributing pens and pamphlets. The ticket also has spent a large portion of its time campaigning online, accruing more than 175 Twitter followers.
“Last year, you had two tickets that were largely visible,” said junior Zach George, REACH’s presidential candidate. “It seems like (this year) the other two tickets aren’t that prevalent on campus. It’s not face-to-face campaigning as it was like last year.”
REACH will be tabling outside Baker Center and will grill at College Gate for the rest of the week.
Junior Tony Koehling, presidential candidate for yOU, said he has been pleased with his largely Web-based campaign.
Koheling, whose campaign’s budget was a fraction of REACH’s, has relied heavily on his campaign’s online presence, racking up more than 170 Twitter followers.
“I couldn’t be happier. I think that our campaign has done a good job at being a little bit different,” Koehling said. “We will easily be able to be more than just a campaign for the student body next year.”
Koehling will table for the rest of the week and will hold an event in Baker on Tuesday.
Henderson, who is the only candidate running for an executive position as an independent, said he is satisfied with his campaign, adding that he has focused on reaching students via his website as well as Facebook and Twitter.
“I think it’s gone really well,” Henderson said. “The conversations have been really good, and we’ve been talking about really important issues. There’s not been so much bickering and name-calling as in years past.”
sj950610@ohiou.edu
