Undergrad Council Voting to Start Despite Lack of Student Awareness

Voting begins today in campus dining halls for representatives to the Undergraduate Council, but most undergraduates say they know little about the election.

Undergraduates interviewed last night at random in house dining halls and the Freshman Union said that the election was not well-publicized and as a result they do not know who is running for the council or when the election begins.

The 89 council spots, which are divided among the 13 upperclass houses and the Yard, are being sought by 134 candidates. Potential candidates had to submit position papers by last Thursday, and campaigning began Sunday. Voting ends Friday and delegates will be seated on October 15.

The total number of candidates dropped by 20 from last year's 154. But that candidate pool was reached after the council extended by a week the deadline for announcing candidacy.

All students interviewed last night in the Quincy House dining hall said they did not know that voting was scheduled to begin today.

"I didn't notice anything about it walking through the Yard," said Beth L. Shair '89 of Quincy House.

Many Upperclassmen in Winthrop, Adams, and Leverett Houses were equally surprised to learn of tomorrow's election day.

Council Chairman Brian C. Offutt '87 said that the council placed a series of ads promoting the election in The Crimson and The Independent. He also said that the council had hired Harvard Student Agencies (HSA) to poster the campus, but HSA failed to do so.

"As far as I know it got done," said Brenda J. Walker '88, manager of distribution for HSA. Walker said there had been some problems with the postering, but she refused to elaborate.

While many upperclassmen were in the dark aboutthis week's voting, freshmen interviewed yesterdaywere more aware of the election.

Dorms in the four freshman voting districtswere littered with campaign posters. SomeYardlings said their votes rested with the issues.

"A big issue at Canaday is the bell that ringsat 8:45 every morning," said Mark Marmar '90 ofCanaday Hall. He added that he has already made uphis mind as to which lucky 'shmen will get hisvotes.

But not all freshmen were completely on theball. Weld Hall's Rudy Ruiz '90 phoned The Crimsonlast night to find out how he could run for acouncil spot, only to learn that it was too latefor his name to appear on the official ballot.

Undaunted, Ruiz said he may wage a write-incampaign for the council. He said he already has acampaign manager and a slogan ("Please baby,please baby--baby--baby--please. Vote for RudyRuiz").

`Vote for Me, I'm Nice'

While Offutt said that the election is apopularity contest, the way the campaign has beenconducted is not very popular with some students.

"The importance of the election has beenundermined by the fact that most people, includingmyself, have almost no knowledge of the candidatesor what the council does," said Jason M. Lewis '90of Wigglesworth Hall.

An Informed Electorate?

"If I know who's running and I like them, I'llvote," said Eugenie M. Borton '88 of Adams House.But she said, "I don't know who's running. I'mclueless."

One poster for an incumbent from LowellHouse--which was plastered with campaignadvertisements--provided few clues. Its basicmessage was "Death to Posters."

But the most intriguing poster for a Lowellcandidate belonged to Javier S. Perez '88. Itdeclared, "I am not a pimp.