Senate Candidates Take to White Plaza

Multiple candidates for the ASSU Senate made the most of this afternoon’s nice weather by taking their campaigns to White Plaza. While Monday was designated for the groups petitioning for Special Fees, today’s priority for tables and amplified sound was given to the Undergraduate Senate candidates. That is not to say, however, that the candidates intended to stay constrained to the tables reserved to them.

[![](http://blog.stanfordreview.org/content/images/2010/04/pic-e1270628122100.jpg)](http://blog.stanfordreview.org/content/images/2010/04/pic.jpg)

Senate Candidates Grabbing Students' Attention in White Plaza -Photo credit: Will Seaton

“I saw a lot of dancing to garner attention and a lot of shouting,” commented Will Seaton ’13, a candidate for the Senate. Some other noticeable campaign strategies ranged from handing out fliers that detailed individual candidate platforms to giving away the always enjoyable, plastic mock-Ray Ban sunglasses; from blasting upbeat music to yelling at bikers and students passing by through a megaphone. However, the most effective strategy—especially during the lunchtime hours—seemed to be food. As Seaton put it: “No one passes up free pizza.”

In my mind, tabling isn’t necessarily about the people you meet, but it’s about having a presence on campus and making sure people see your name out there.

Amidst attending meetings, making facebook groups, and putting up flyers, some could write off today’s time in White Plaza as just another chore on the candidates’ journey towards election. In many regards, however, the brief time spend outside today seems to have been a rather worthwhile event for candidates.

“I personally felt re-energized,” commented Showly Wang ’13, another candidate for the Senate. Being in White Plaza today allowed Wang, as well as the other candidates, a chance to meet with students biking through, many of who actually did take some time to stop and talk. Additionally, Wang added that “more than anything though, I received a lot of publicity even if I didn’t personally meet more people.”

With voting just around the corner, today’s tabling also may have represented one of the last legitimate opportunities for candidates to make an impression on voters.

“Even if not a whole lot stop by and talk to you, people still see you out there giving it all and they remember that level of enthusiasm,” noted Seaton. “In my mind, tabling isn’t necessarily about the people you meet, but it’s about having a presence on campus and making sure people see your name out there.”

Although today was the day specifically designated for ASSU Senate candidates, everyone is allowed to use White Plaza to campaign on any day, all day.