Student Government elections take place today after what has been an unusually quiet campaigning period.
Other than the daily presence of Chris Odinet and Christen Heaton’s “The Difference” ticket’s tent in Free Speech Plaza, candidates have generally not been campaigning aggressively.
Chaz Caiado, Student Government presidential candidate and arts and sciences junior, said he will keep a low-key profile on election day. Caiado has not yet campaigned in Free Speech Plaza.
“No, I’m probably not going to be out there,” Caiado said. “I have to work tomorrow, so I’m not going to be able to campaign.”
Caiado said his strategy will be to tell his friends to tell their friends to vote.
“Some people like the fact that I’m not out there campaigning and handing out stuff,” Caiado said. “But some people don’t know me as well since they haven’t seen me out there.”
But Caiado said his lack of publicity will not hamper his bid for president.
“I still have a good chance as anyone,” Caiado said. “It’s really up in the air.”
Odinet and Heaton have taken a different route, instead choosing to campaign through push cards, buttons, stickers and weekly ticket meetings.
Odinet said he is still nervous and acknowledged that any candidate could potentially win.
“I’m so full of nervous energy,” Odinet said. “We need a high voter turnout.”
Odinet has a variety of campaign methods planned today, including placing volunteers with signs on street corners and at various campus locations.
One independent candidate, political science sophomore Jacob Gower, decided to drop out instead of facing “The Difference.”
Gower said he dropped out of the College of Arts and Sciences Senate race two weeks ago because he thought his chance of winning was slim.
“I can’t win if I’m not on ‘The Difference’ ticket,” Gower said. “They will get 75 percent of the vote. It will probably be a runaway.”
Kevin Guillory, an independent candidate for the Arts and Sciences Senate seat, said he plans to post campaign volunteers around the Quad.
“I’m confident,” Guillory said. “I’m especially confident of at least making a runoff.”
Ryan Sands, “Mass Turban Nation” presidential candidate, said he and running mate Steve Mayeux will distribute free cigarettes today and appear Thursday night at the speed dating event in the Union – win or lose.
Sands, whose antics are being recorded for his comedy Web site, said he anticipates being kicked out of the polling areas in the Quad.
“We’re going to crowd the booths,” Sands said. “There’s a good chance of us being kicked out.”
Sands said he is worried that he may receive votes and actually win.
“I’m a little scared,” Sands said. “Even afterwards, if we don’t win, we’re going to claim that we won.”
Other than Sands’ campaign antics, the election has run as it usually does, except for a change in the times the elections will take place.
Savanna Ordoyne, SG commissioner of elections, said the new voting times will be from 7 a.m. to 9:59 p.m. on PAWS, instead of the previous 8 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. period.
Ordoyne said the earlier start time will allow students with 7:30 a.m. classes to vote before they attend classes and likely yield a higher voter turnout.
Results will be announced at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in 103 Williams Hall, Ordoyne said.
 
Contact Amy Brittain at [email protected]