Amidst the onslaught of complaints and appeals concerning the elections for Duke Student Government executive positions, candidates are still trying to keep their attention and efforts focused on the business of campaigning.
Echoing the sentiments of many candidates, Trinity junior and presidential candidate Peggy Cross said, "I've been sort of in limbo all week, not knowing who I'm running against from day to day." Cross qualified for tomorrow's runoff election with the vote totals she received in last week's original election. Trinity junior Milan Selassie qualified as well, but Selassie was disqualified from the runoff early Tuesday morning, and the other three presidential candidates were reinstated on the ballot after a DSG Elections Commission ruling on a complaint filed against Selassie. (See story, p. 1)
"All I can do is just focus on my supporters and run my campaign," Cross said. Even though Cross has not been involved in any complaints, she has still had difficulty managing her campaign. After the first election resulted in a runoff, Cross posted campaign flyers which said the runoff was to be held on Tuesday, March 7. But late Sunday night, the Elections Commission decided to postpone the runoff until Thursday to give ample time for complaint hearings and appeals.
Cross requested and was granted new fliers from the elections commission.
"When you're talking with people about who to vote for, it's hard for them to know what kinds of questions to ask, since [they don't know who's in the runoff]," Cross said.
Meanwhile, the other three presidential candidates have been faced with planning a campaign for an election in which they may not even be included, as the DSG Judiciary's ruling on Selassie's appeal was not handed down until 24 hours after the commission's decision to reinstate them. Trinity juniors Christian Grose, Peter Rahbar and Brian Thompson, who were put back on the ballot for DSG president, said they welcomed the second chance but were not pleased by the way that chance was born.
"It's sad that it happened this way," Thompson said. "I'm happy to be back in the race, but it sucks how I got back into it."
The three candidates hesitantly revved up their campaigning Tuesday. Grose did not work on new campaign flyers but did contact his supporters and campaign staff to inform them of his candidacy status and ask them to help disseminate information.
"The main thing we're focusing on is turnout because of students possibly turning cynical about the election and because of spring break," Grose said. "The election is going to be decided by who gets their supporters out to vote."
Indeed, the candidates expressed much concern about how the complaints and numerous changes will affect student opinion. "I'm hoping the election won't compromise the integrity of DSG and I'm hoping the student body still turns out to vote on Thursday," Rahbar said.
Although Thompson did design new flyers Wednesday, he said he planned to postpone further action until the judiciary's decision was handed down Tuesday night.
"The thing is, we all have lives to get back to. Part of me is more concerned about a paper that's due tomorrow," he said.
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