Last year’s ASG candidates got black eyes jostling for wall space. This year it seems all they got was shut-eye.

That’s because a combination of uncompetitive races and new rules at Norris University Center have made for a slow start to this year’s Associated Student Government campaign week, which officially began at 12:01 a.m. Monday.

A year ago, candidates and their managers raced across campus during the first night of campaigning and camped outside Norris waiting for the doors to open at 8 a.m. — all to win prime wall space for posters.

But only seven people are vying for the four positions in this year’s elections — as opposed to 12 candidates last year — and two of the four races are uncontested.

And with Norris’ new regulations, which allow only three fliers per candidate, the walls look pretty bare.

Instead, the real battlefield could be the Web.

Each candidate received a Web address linked from the ASG site (www.asg.nwu.edu). Although only one candidate had a site up Monday night, many others said they plan to use their ASG addresses.

Last year Dave Sheldon won the presidential election and had a more elaborate and interactive Web site than any other candidate.

ASG Technology Director Ed Sawma said Web sites give candidates a central location to explain their platforms and receive feedback.

“Focus on designing a good Web site is going to become more important in future elections,” said Sawma, a McCormick junior who is also a senior residential networking consultant.

Web surfers already have some interest in what they are reading, Sawma said, so a good site does much more than a poster on a wall.

“It’s easy to do and such a valuable resource for those who are very serious about learning the details of their candidate’s platforms,” said Jordan Heinz, a candidate for executive vice president and an Education sophomore.

This year’s election guidelines also allow unsolicited e-mails, such as messages sent to listservs endorsing candidates. Last year candidates needed permission from recipients before sending e-mail. Supporters of the change said they removed the clause because they could not regulate all e-mails.

Most candidates said they did not plan to flood mailboxes with e-mail and risk a backlash from students.

“Yeah, you might reach everyone in the world, but you might piss some people off,” Sawma said.

Laura Ellis, student services vice presidential candidate, said she will have campaign workers send e-mails endorsing her to dorm listservs but will instruct them to send only one each.

“My goal is not to impose on people,” said Ellis, a Weinberg sophomore.

Despite Norris’ policy, candidates still have fliers and posters in the dorms to get their names and ideas out.

While Sheldon’s Web site attracted many students, his fliers were also ingenious, presidential candidate Adam Humann said.

“Fliering and The Daily will always be the two best ways of getting information about the election,” said Humann, a Weinberg junior.

Candidates coordinated with workers around campus to begin posting fliers Monday morning, and members of different campaigns said they worked together to make sure they hit each dorm.

Another change to the guidelines prohibits candidates and campaign workers from painting The Rock — the campaigning period might not have allowed a day for each candidate. But with only seven candidates on the ballot, it would have been possible this year.

Non-verbal campaigning lasts until Monday, but candidates said they plan to spend this week talking to as many students as possible. Eating every meal at a different fraternity, sorority or dining hall, going to different munchies every night and talking to people door-to-door will consume most of the candidates’ time.