During the Student Government Association election, ETSU students were bombarded by posters, door knob hangers, candy, buttons, cookies, stickers and other propaganda as students campaigned to become next year’s executive officers of the SGA.
Students saw fliers and posters everywhere they went, whether it was class, the Culp Center or even if it was their bathroom stall at their dorm.
“The posters were helpful because they gave good summaries about what the candidates stood for,” said Leia Davis, sophomore. “I mean Nate had his qualifications on his plus his proposals. Ethan had his proposals and his running mate. And Suits showed exactly what he was about … goofing off. None of his posters really said anything about what his campaign was for, just that he could be creative.”
Some candidates ran their campaigns with a lighter tone.
“We just had fun,” Suits said.
However, there were specific rules that had to be followed in order to post these fliers and posters.
In order to post a flier in a dorm, it can be approved by either housing as a whole and then given to the resident directors in the buildings to post, or it can be approved by the RD’s specifically.
If these steps are not done, then it is at the RA’s discretion to take the signs and fliers down.
James Sheffey, candidate for vice president, said that he and presidential candidate Ethan Flynn checked with the RD’s at Lucille Clement Hall and Carter Hall before posting fliers in the buildings, but those were the only two buildings that the pair utilized.
Some other candidates said they simply gave their campaign materials to friends who lived in the buildings and asked them to post them up all over the dorm.
Academic buildings have their own rules as well. Posting on open boards is allowed. Sometimes, it is permissible to put things up in elevators, on doors and in stairwells. It is basically building to building dependent.
In the Culp Center, the rules are very specific. Anything posted there must be approved and stamped. Also, each person may only post 10 fliers across the entire building. If there are more than 10, or they are not stamped, they will be taken down.
As far as the individual campaigns go, everything must be approved by the election commission.
Sheffey and Flynn had problems when their campaign posters due to copyright infringement.
“Apparently, the ETSU Buccaneer logo is illegal to use,” Sheffey said.
The logo was given to them by the athletics department, but there was a question of who has the right to give out the logo.
Other posters featured qualifications, goals, web sites and self-proclaimed super heroes.
“The really detailed and ‘flashy’ posters actually made me think the candidates responsible spent more time worrying about their campaigning than the election itself,” said Billy Rambo, freshman. “I thought we voted for a president based on qualifications and ideas, not posters. So that’s why simpler ones impressed me more.”
Catchy slogans and sidewalk chalk were also a large part of the campaigns, although candidates did get in trouble for writing on roads and were asked to remove the chalk from these areas.
There were even some allegations made that candidates were tearing down others’ posters and writing comments with sidewalk chalk that did not relate to their campaign, such as requests to vote for Ellis or to ignore “stupid slogans.”
There was also no shortage of food and candy given out during the election.
Presidential candidate Nate Bailey gave out Tootsie Roll pops and Ramen Noodles with his name on them. Students also saw cookies and candy at various points.
There was no lack of family or friends ready to rally support for the candidates.
Flynn’s father, Tom Flynn, came to campus in order to help his son campaign. Bailey’s brother, Clay, spoke to students in support of his brother’s campaign. Some candidates even missed class in order to continue campaigning.
“Most professors were really nice about it though,” said Sheffey.
Flynn felt that getting out and talking to students was the best and most important thing that any of the candidates could have done.
Some candidates spent a lot of money on their campaigns, while others spent relatively little.
“It seems to me that the system we have in place for elections is self-defeating. The student body has to vote for different people, most of whom they will never meet, for executive offices in the SGA.
“What it boils down to is that whoever has the catchiest slogan or the best little gifts with their name attached on them (Ramen Noodles, Tootsie Pops, etc.) are the most likely to get the offices which they seek,” said Senior Kevin Thompson.

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