If students want to win high offices, they need to present a platform that appeals to students, build strong coalitions and work hard.
On March 23, candidates running for offices within the Associated Students of the University of Utah can post their campaign materials. By the end of the week primary elections will narrow the field down to two candidates for each office. The work, ideas and experience of the candidates?as well as the participation of student voters?will determine which students eventually take office in May.
“Usually candidates that have something to say win,” said Ted Wilson, director of the Hinckley Institute of Politics, who follows the student elections. “They find some element in the student body that needs to be addressed, it’s been tuition, parking on campus, a number of issues that bright winners latch on to.”
This year the major issues will be tuition and parking, according to Wilson. Candidates should stay away from “lofty talk” however, and talk to students about what they are really concerned about while offering realistic ideas.
Issues and ideas can be more important than gaining the backing of important groups on campus.
“A good issue can overcome even good coalitions,” Wilson said.
Although Wilson said good ideas are necessary, he acknowledged the importance of support from the Latter-day Saint Student Association and Greek Row.
“If you can put the greeks and the [Latter-day Saint] Institute on one candidate, they will win,” Wilson said. “Both are easy places to get the word out.”
The last two ASUU presidents were affiliated with the Sigma Chi fraternity, and both the candidates from the Impact party are Sigma Chis.
“I don’t know if there’s a monopoly on it from the Sigma Chi house,” said Annie Nebeker, associate dean of students. “I think that’s the way the cards have fallen in the last few years.”
Bill Edwards, the Impact candidate who has experience in LDSSA as well as Greek Row, does not automatically expect to win because of his background.
“I don’t think that’s true by any means,” he said. “There’s a ton of student groups and organizations, there’s really no way to speculate.”
Although Edwards is “definitely hoping” to win the support of those groups, he expects students to vote based on his campaign and platform.
“They need to see our campaign and see what we stand for,” he said. “They can’t really get a good feel until they see a campaign.”
Wilson also mentioned the importance of an independent vote that can sway the elections. Nebeker said other groups can also influence the elections.
“Being affiliated with any student groups helps you in an election if you can mobilize that group to vote,” Nebeker said. She said involvement with any group can give a student visibility.
She mentioned the successful 1999 campaign of Ben McAdams, who mobilized groups campaigns do not usually focus on?such as the Center for Ethnic Student Affairs.
“I think that was really wise of them to look at groups that aren’t typically plugged into [elections],” she said. “Groups sometimes thinking they have something at stake can push a candidate forward.”
Uniquely successful, McAdams also utilized his lack of experience to win the office.
“Ben [McAdams] and Ryan [Oakes] kind of defy some consistencies,” she said. “They ran on the issue of being outsiders, that can be a powerful thing on campus. Some people see it as an advantage, some see it as a disadvantage.”
Wilson also said an outsider campaign can be successful.
“Students have a healthy sense of independence,” he said. “[Students] don’t like to be herded.”
Steve Rinehart, who is running from the Probable Cause Party, has no experience with ASUU, LDSSA or Greek Row and hopes to poll the students who do not usually vote.
“Hopefully there will be more than 3 percent who do vote,” he said. “I think I’m able to see some things outside the box that are important to students.”
More than 12 percent of students voted last year?a record high.
All students need to meet with the groups to win, according to Wilson.
“They have to have a lot of energy and show that they want it,” Wilson said. “That’s a principle for any election.”
Elevation candidate AnnMarie Allen plans to talk to many students as she campaigns.
“That’s what’s really important to us is telling students exactly what we’re going to do,”she said. “We’re reaching out to those students that are often not paid attention to. We’ve been out talking to students for quite a while now.”
Current ASUU President Ben Lowe said hard work made the difference in his campaign.
“We put in so much work to get elected,” he said. “We worked our cans off. It was a close election, it could have gone either way. Every vote counts, that’s for sure.”
Last year, Lowe won 1,635 to Steve Nelson’s 1,569?just 66 votes.