Eager Freshmen Get Early Start to Election
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Undergraduate Council President Danny Bicknell '13 and Vice President Pratyusha Yalamanchi '13 present the 2016 class banner at Tuesday evening's Freshman Convocation.
Mitt Romney announced on June 2, 2011. President Obama declared a couple months earlier on April 4. The first candidate for this month's Undergraduate Council elections made public his intentions nearly a month before even arriving on campus, on August 4, 2012.
Though declarations for the UC's general elections were due last Friday, Sept. 14 at noon, some ambitious members of the Class of 2016 took a cue from this year's Presidential candidates and tried to get their names out on Facebook early in the season.
"Is anyone else considering running for student government?" one freshman posted to the Class of 2016 group. "I know that elections take place only a few weeks into the term, so was wondering how other students were preparing...if, that is, you're preparing at all!"
Rory O'Reilly '16 replied minutes later, "Definitely interested. My plan is to take out the other competitors."
Though another member of the group suggested that he run with the tagline "The O'Reilly Factor," O'Reilly offered up a campaign slogan of his own: "Vote for Rory, End of Story."
Although that first eager freshman candidate has since decided not to run, O'Reilly still has eyes on the big election. In fact, he is using his "Vote for Rory" tagline.
"The tagline has carried me as my school's class president for 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grade; I'd rather spend time thinking of ways to help my peers as opposed to thinking of new catch phrases—because the class of 2016 deserves my love and attention," wrote O'Reilly in an email.
Will Rory claim glory, end of story? Campaigning began today at noon, and voting opens Wednesday. A full list of candidates and platforms can be found on the UC's website. Election results will be posted Friday evening.