62 start campaigns for UA, class boards

The paperwork is done, and the candidates are ready for the race.

Campaigns for Undergraduate Assembly and class board elections begin today, and with more candidates running this spring than last, students say they expect exciting competition.

Sixty-two students, 38 of whom are incumbents, are running for 51 available UA and class board positions.

No one is running for four of the class board positions, and there are enough candidates to fill all UA spots. Eighteen class-board candidates and one UA candidate are running unopposed.

"I'm excited about the fact that there are more candidates running" this year, said College senior Eli Hoffman, vice chairman of the Nominations and Elections Committee, which monitors the race.

After taking office, the new class boards will fill all unfilled positions through an interview process.

Anyone wishing to run but not on the ballot must get at least as many write-in votes as the number of signatures they would have needed to submit on a petition to run.

Voting begins Tuesday on Penn InTouch and concludes the following Sunday at 5 p.m.

Get Out the Vote -- an event to promote voting hosted by the NEC -- will be held Wednesday. The event, which will feature student performances, will give students the opportunity to meet candidates.

Last year, 33 percent of eligible voters cast their ballots. This year, Hoffman is hoping for greater turnout, saying that every vote counts.

"Often [elections] are determined by votes in the tens or in the single digits," Hoffman said.

While there are 11 more candidates than available positions, some think the competition is not stiff enough.

College freshman Dan Tavana -- who ran for class board in the fall but did not win his election -- said that he thought the number of candidates was low and indicates apathy towards student government.

Tavana is one of 19 students running for 16 School of Arts and Sciences seats on the UA.

The number of students running "is kind of telling about student government at Penn," Tavana said.

Candidates plan to employ a variety of approaches over the next week.

"My campaign strategy is to run on the issues," College sophomore and incumbent UA candidate Jason Karsh said. "Students become apathetic to student government when they see silly slogans."

But there's no denying that showmanship helps attract voters.

Engineering freshman Tommy Lumpkin, who is running for Class of 2009 vice president and a seat on the UA, wore a white suit during the entire week of freshman class board elections in the fall, when he was elected freshman class vice president of corporate sponsorship.

Lumpkin noted, however, that "it's not all about the gimmicks people throw out there."

Several members of the UA will be graduating this year, leaving spots for non-incumbent candidates.

"We're losing a very strong body," College freshman and incumbent UA candidate Bing Chen said. "Hopefully, this year will bring even stronger underclassmen."

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