It was snowing cotton candy and candidate flyers yesterday on College Green, as the Nominations and Elections Committee kicked off the Undergraduate Assembly and Class Board elections.
The "Get Out and Vote" event -- marking the first day of voting for student representatives for the 2003-2004 school year -- allowed students and the 65 candidates to get acquainted.
Students can vote on Penn InTouch from now until 5 p.m. on Monday, April 7. Election results will be announced the next day.
NEC member Rochelle Behrens organized the event and said that it is "one of the only forums to invite candidates and every single member of the student body... on both fronts."
"It is our job as the NEC to facilitate that interaction," the College junior added.
And the candidates said they appreciated the face time.
"I think it's a good way to meet potential voters and get your name out there without bombarding them with e-mails," said Wharton junior Danielle Scheer, a candidate for UA Wharton representative.
NEC chairwoman and College senior Rebecca Silberman said that the event provides an opportunity for candidates to put themselves out there as leaders and for students to get an idea of who they want to be their leaders.
However, College senior Hasan Ansari said that he expected more candidates at the event to approach and express interest in him as a voter.
"I don't know many people who are running," Ansari said. "So, coming to things like this makes up a significant portion of the decision I'm going to make."
But some students had other motivations for attending the event.
The event was helpful "for people who are really into getting to know someone before voting for them," College junior Inna Bleckman said. But, she quickly added that "for everyone else, it's free food."
The food was plentiful, ranging from platters of sweets provided by ice cream shop Scoop DeVille to boxes of Powelton Pizza.
"Provide free food, and people will follow," Behrens said.
The festivities also included performances by Arts House Dance Company and a cappella groups Penny Loafers and Quaker Notes.
Other candidates and passers-by agreed and said that regardless of whether the event was a success in terms of meeting constituents or potential representatives, it nevertheless accomplished the goal of advertising the current election.
"It raises awareness for people who walk by," College freshman Sarah Gudis said.
Many candidates, however, said that they are not relying solely on the NEC's "Get Out and Vote" event to promote themselves.
Some are also making pins and T-shirts, sending out mass e-mails, meeting with campus groups or even throwing parties in their name. Others are using the tried-and-true postering method, targeting key areas on campus.
College sophomore Jason Levine is running for re-election as a UA representative and said that he will focus on the Quadrangle and Hill College House.
"If you can get the freshman vote," Levine said, "you will win."
