As the clock struck midnight,candidates vying for positions from Freshman Class President to Miss SouthernUniversity began to hang banners and post signs in efforts to gain the votes ofthe student body.
According to election rules,candidates could not begin campaigning until Monday, April 12.
Terysa Singleton, a candidate forMiss Southern, and members of her campaign team staked out near the checkpointand other prime campaign areas on campus beginning at 8 p.m. Sunday night. They said they wanted to make sureSingleton’s signs were highly visible.
“It’s one of the hottest spots oncampus,” said Shanika Robinson, a junior mass communications major fromBeaumont, Texas. “I thinkputting her signs right here will really put her name out there to the peoplewho really don’t know her.”
Before candidates can pass outfliers, t-shirts and other treats, they must pass a constitutional examinationand meet a 2.5 G.P.A. requirement. Candidates also have to form committees and come up with catchy slogansto set them apart from their opponents.
Enetra Jones, a candidate for MissSU, said she has been working on her campaign since the beginning of the fallsemester.
“It’s been stressful but everydayhas proven to be a challenge,” said Jones, a junior biology major from NewOrleans. “But through prayer,dedication and a family that’s really behind me, I’ve made it this far andhopefully it’ll continue to go well for me.”
Throughout her campaign, she planson passing out a number of items including notebooks, t-shirts, key chains andbubble pens.
Along with her opponents, Jones hasalso designated spots on campus to post her campaign material. Red and whitesigns saying “Gotta Love Jones” can be seen at the checkpoint, in front of thelibrary and the area near the F.G. Clark Activity Center.
Unlike most candidates, DelanoMitchell, a candidate for Men’s Federation President, said that he does notneed to spend any money to run a successful campaign.
“I ain’t spent nothing man. I’m going to do it different,” saidMitchell, a mass communications major from Los Angeles. “It’s 2004. Everyone thinks that you have to buy all these signs andposters.”
Mitchell said his campaign would berun by word of mouth.
“Black people have been doing it byword of mouth since the beginning of the century,” Mitchell said. “The signs can’t do what I can do. I’m going to get out there with thepeople.”
At press time, the official ballotof candidates was not available from the Office of Student Programs.
