5:13 p.m.
A weary voice answers the phone. A sleepless night is finally catching up to Mike McGee, academic vice presidential candidate.
“I’ve only gotten 20 minutes of sleep since yesterday,” he said.
Even though the communication sophomore may be exhausted, he said he will continue campaigning well after sundown.
“We are planning to go to dining halls tonight to remind people to vote and to inform people that the polls are still open,” McGee said.
Although McGee said he will campaign just hours before ASG results are announced, he said most people he has spoken with have already voted.
“It is interesting to deal with people who have already voted because I don’t know who they voted for,” McGee said. “Now it is just the long waiting period for the results.”
– Lauren Mogannam
4:00 p.m.
After he ate lunch at Lisa’s Café, Executive Vice President candidate Vikram Karandikar encouraged students in his dorm, the Public Affairs Residential College, to vote in today’s Associated Student Government elections on NULink.
“Most people know me and voted, but for some, I wanted to make sure they went to NULink and voted for whoever,” the McCormick sophomore said. “I’m taking it easy for now.”
Last year’s uncontested EVP candidate received about 80 percent of the votes, but Karandikar said he would be happy with about 70 percent or higher.
Even though Karandikar said he and his campaign managers handed out fliers throughout the week, if he could change one thing, it would be to have less rain.
“All my fliers were ready to go, but the weather was bad,” he said. “We couldn’t put some of them down until last night.”
Karandikar said he couldn’t wait to get sworn in and begin his job if elected.
“I’m sure there are e-mails about student groups from the past EVP that have accumulated in this lame duck period between the two EVP terms,” he said. “I’m excited to start that as soon as possible.”
– Kristin Ellertson
ASG presidential candidate Scott Burton has been making his way around campus this afternoon, trying to meet as many people as he can before the election’s 8 p.m. close. Just after noon, the Weinberg junior was at the Arch greeting students and passing out leaflets along with his campaign manager, Weinberg senior Katie Coleman, who has been at the arch since morning.
Burton said his campaign is focusing on personal interaction as the key to success. His campaign team is staked out along main locations on campus, including Tech and Norris.
“We’re trying to one, make sure people actually go out and vote, and then two try and inform them about my platforms,” he said. “This is grassroots at its finest here, and that is how we’re running this campaign.”
– Steven Berger
In the final stretch of his election campaign for ASG president, Weinberg junior Mark Crain has
made the most of his morning. Although it’s only 2 p.m., Crain has already stationed himself at
the Rock, Tech and Norris, covering all campus grounds and hoping to get out a final word to potential voters.
“I’m trying to reach out to everyone,” Crain said. ”A lot of people who have passed me today said,
‘I’m voting for you,’ or ‘good luck today,’ but right now all I can do is hope for the best.”
Next on Crain’s agenda? Class – because even though he’s a presidential candidate, he’s foremost a
student — and then of course more campaigning and anticipation into the evening.
“I have absolutely no idea how things are going to turn out,” Crain said. “I’m just kind of being
innocuous, hoping for the best.”
– Ashley Lau
2:25 p.m.
Even though it is early in the afternoon, Mike McGee, academic vice presidential candidate, is busy doing last-minute campaigning on campus.
“We are going from place to place reminding people to vote,” the communication sophomore said.
McGee said he plans to go door-to-door later on in the afternoon to make sure people know how to cast their votes online.
Although McGee said he doesn’t know where he officially stands in the race, he said he thinks it is going well. He said he will remain optimistic throughout the day, even with his rising nerves.
“I’m going with the flow, but I’m nervous,” McGee said. “I’m only human.”
– Lauren Mogannam
1:45 p.m.
It’s early afternoon but academic vice presidential candidate Usman Mian has already been up for hours. Today he will spend sunrise to sundown traversing Northwestern’s campus to campaign. Currently stationed at the rock, Mian’s last-minute strategy is to speak with as many students as possible, he said.
“I’m feeling confident right now,” Mian said. “But I think (votes) won’t be determined by our experience, qualifications or determination.
Mian, who is running against Mike McGee for academic vice president, said in the home stretch it’s all about who the candidates communicate with.
“Right now it’s more about how many people me and McGee talk to,” he said.
– Alexandra Finkel
12:40 p.m.
On the morning of the Associated Student Government elections, Executive Vice President candidate Vikram Karandikar passed out quarter sheets under the arch and encouraged students to submit their votes online.
“You definitely have to get the word out,” the McCormick sophomore said. “It’s a quick reminder to vote and a nice way to reach out to students without flooding their inboxes.”
Karandikar said he feels optimistic and excited about the election. Last night, he and his campaign managers taped fliers to sidewalks on campus and posted some inside dorms and dining halls. He also spoke at munchies at 1835 Hinman and the Public Affairs, Shepard and Slivka Residential Colleges earlier in the campaign.
“Even though I’m uncontested, I really want to put in all my effort,” he said.
Karandikar said he hopes to distribute quarter-sheet reminders to vote later this afternoon in front of Tech or the arch.
– Kristin Ellertson
1:04 p.m.
For Student Services Vice Presidential candidate Harry Vijayaraghavan, sleep has become a mere memory. The Weinberg junior can only describe the past week as “weary,” as he is logging only four hours of sleep every night.
“One of my campaign managers sprained his ankle last night, so we had to take him to the hospital,” he said.
Today Vijayaraghavan has been handing out fliers on his way to class.
“I think we’ve done a pretty good job in spite of everything,” he said.
– Christina Chaey
12:47 p.m. You won’t find Weinberg sophomore Luke Adams passing out flyers at the rock today – he’s there to talk and, more importantly, to listen. The youngest presidential candidate, who has run a “carbon neutral” campaign without flyers or posters, has spent the morning walking around meeting people and answering their questions.
“Even if I don’t win – and of course I want to win – I feel that I’ve spread my message around campus and let everyone know what kind of person I am,” Adams said.
Adams, who has previously dressed up as rapper Eljay to campaign, said he’s keeping the campaign relaxed and simple for the last day.
“I think I’ve already established the ‘jokey’ side of my campaign,” he said. “On the last day I’m just focusing on the issues.”
– Kirsten Salyer
12:23 p.m. ASG Presidential candidate Blake Yocom and his campaign team are hard at work both campaigning and encouraging students to vote.
“We have lots of people around campus, different clubs and organizations, fraternities and sororites – we’re hoping for a big turnout,” he said.
Yocom and his campaign team have set up a polling location outside one of the fraternity houses and provide easy access to laptops to allow students on their way to lunch or class to vote.
Yocom, a member of Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity, said he is campaigning in the fraternity quad because he thinks that is where he will get a lot of support.
“Everyone’s mobilized,” he said of his campaign team.
With five candidates running for ASG president, Yocom said he feels good about his campaign but does not expect a winner to be announced today.
“I think it’s going strong,” he said.”With the number of candidates running, it’s likely to go to a runoff. It will be interesting to see what happens.”
– Nathalie Tadena
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