Updated: March 21, 2017 at 3:04 p.m.
Student Association candidates and their supporters were fired up early Tuesday morning to participate in an annual race for prime poster real estate.
Postering day – the designated time candidates can place their posters around specific locations on campus – started on schedule at 7 a.m. This marks the start of the campaigning period for this year’s SA elections that will take place on March 29 and 30.
Here’s a recap of the morning’s events:
6:30
Candidates and their supporters began to congregate in Kogan Plaza to prepare for their early-morning sprint across campus. Teams can place posters for their candidates at the Academic Center, University Yard, the Marvin Center and Ames Hall on the Mount Vernon Campus.
“It’s always about how mad of a dash it’s going to be. But it’s always exciting to see the fun and non-policy side of the election,” Executive Vice President candidate Sydney Nelson said.
Some participants were fairly new to the event, but were confident in their team’s ability to hang many posters as possible.
“I’ve never done this before, but we have a lot of people on our team,” Kendall Kirk, a member of EVP candidate Peak Chua’s campaign team, said. “We have an awesome media team who’ve been working really hard on these posters.”
Candidates must follow basic guidelines for where their posters can be placed, avoiding windows and doors, not covering the other posters and only hanging a certain amount in each location. At-large candidates are allowed seven posters, general senators five, and 10 are allotted for both EVP and presidential candidates.
6:45
By now, most of the candidates and their supporters had gathered in Kogan Plaza. Others used the space in District House to plan who would hang up each poster and where.
“It is a fun mix of serious and inspiring feelings,” Jan Yonan said, who is running for undergraduate senator of CCAS.
Lisa Ben-Horin, a friend of Yonan’s, came to Kogan Plaza to show her support.
“I think he has a really good heart for the students, and I think he is ready to take on CCAS,” she said.
Some students were already positioned on the Mount Vernon Campus to begin postering in support of their candidates.
“I was on the Mount Vernon Campus on the postering day,” India Kellogg, who supports SA presidential candidate Adam Johnson, said. “It really showcases the political activeness inside this campus.”
Within the last few seconds before postering could officially begin, everyone huddled in front of the entrance to Kogan in preparation to race for the best spots.
7:00
Candidates dashed off, hanging up their posters in whatever free space was available. While presidential candidate Lande Watson picked the wall outside the academic buildings as her first choice, another competitor for SA president, Johnson, chose to put up his first poster outside the Marvin Center.
Presidential candidate Cole Ettingoff did not participate in postering.
[gwh_image id=”1027577″ credit=”Sam Hardgrove | Assistant Photo Editor” align=”left” size=”medium”]Student Association candidates hung up their posters on campus Tuesday morning.[/gwh_image]
“Things were a little bit crazy last year, but people are being cool on this postering day,” Johnson said. “I really appreciate the people who are working with me this morning and on the campaign in general.”
7:15
The teams began placing the final posters on the walls of approved buildings and applying the finishing touches.
“I think we captured all the good spots where the eye subconsciously looks when you’re walking,” Claude Su, a volunteer for EVP candidate Chua, said. “For example, when you’re walking up the H street steps to the Marvin Center, the first thing you will see are the Peak for EVP posters.”
[gwh_image id=”1027578″ credit=”Sam Hardgrove | Assistant Photo Editor” align=”right” size=”medium”]Candidates were allowed to hang up posters on buildings like the Academic Center and the Marvin Center.[/gwh_image]
Around 20 minutes after the event had officially begun, teams were gathering to congratulate each other for a job well done.
“I am really glad that so many people woke up and arrived here so early for this GW tradition,” SA presidential candidate Watson said.
Even with such a short event, many candidates said this marked the start of their true campaigning.
“This is the day where the conversation at GW really starts,” EVP candidate Chua said.
This post has been updated to reflect the following correction:
Due to a reporting error, The Hatchet incorrectly reported that SA presidential candidate Cole Ettingoff had hung up posters. He did not participate in postering. We regret this error.
