Before kicking off his campaign for student body president, Cameron Beech wanted to make one point clear-he wants to keep things clean.
Beech and running mate Ryan Carrier sent out a memo to fellow candidates Rick Pehrson and Spencer Pearson, two contenders planning to run for student body president in the upcoming elections, and their vice-presidential candidates.
“We are running a transparent campaign, and that is how our administration will be (if we are elected),” Beech said.
Beech and Carrier also expressed their desire to work positively with the other candidates, as they said elections can often turn negative.
“We decided to send out the memo so that everyone was on an even playing field,” said Marko Mijic, Beech’s campaign manager. “We just want to be fair because we will have to work with the other candidates one way or another-this was a way to open up and express our willingness to help.”
The memo also stated Beech and Carrier’s party’s color-red. Beech said he wanted to notify the other candidates of the color so that they could order merchandise without conflict.
Beech and Carrier said the memo was received positively and that they plan to meet with the other candidates to discuss these issues.
Basim Motiwala, Pearson’s vice-presidential running mate, said the memo was a good way to start the campaign season.
“I don’t know if it was necessary (to send out the memo), but it was a good call,” Motiwala said. “Cameron (Beech) and I have talked a lot about the whole process, and we want to keep it positive and as clean as possible.”
Joe Coccimiglio, another potential candidate in the race for president, did not receive the memo.
Candidates running for student body president must officially file with the Associated Students of the University of Utah by 5 p.m. on Feb. 3.