Student services vice presidential candidate Adam Forsyth might have been unopposed, but he still didn’t receive enough support Tuesday to win his election without a runoff.
After a long night of waiting and toting around his girlfriend’s cell phone, Forsyth received the news from the Election Commission around 10:30 p.m. Forsyth, a Weinberg sophomore, earned 41.5 percent of the votes as the no confidence option garnered about 38 percent.
“I think this is relatively promising,” Forsyth said. “I would like to have had the 50 percent, but I feel like I can win.”
Forsyth started his night in his girlfriend’s room before heading to a Students for Ecological and Environmental Development meeting at 9 p.m. In Norris University Center’s Purdue A room, he placed the cell phone by the window to attempt to get a signal, but no call came from the Election Commission. He and his campaign manager, Matt McCormick, then met friends at J.K. Sweets, 720 Clark St., and continued to wait.
Upon receiving the call, Forsyth listened intently — pacing outside the restaurant — thanked the Election Commission and calmly informed his friends of the results.
As the only official candidate for student services vice president, Forsyth said he campaigned just as hard while seeking campus endorsements process as he would have with an opponent, but he said more fliering might have helped.
“I didn’t take the process or the job any less seriously,” Forsyth said. “Not knowing what form the ballot was going to take has really messed with my head.”
The Election Commission did not decide the official make-up of the ballot until Monday, when they confirmed that students would be able to choose a no confidence option or cast a vote for a write-in candidate.
Forsyth said he called the ASG office to check in earlier Tuesday and was surprised when ASG Secretary/Parliamentarian Matt Hall answered the phone, “Matt Hall for SSVP.”
Although Hall said he was running as a joke, he wanted students to understand that they always have a choice, no matter how many people are on the ballot. Hall garnered 77 votes, making him the top write-in for the position.
“I’m glad students were willing to voice their opinions and not just be a rubber stamp,” said Hall, a Communication sophomore.
His campaign consisted of e-mailing a few friends and taping a flier to his backpack, about which a complaint was filed because it was not stamped.
“I’d like to thank all my loyal supporters, the campaign volunteers, the average man for his vote, and I love them all,” Hall said.
If the no confidence option receives more votes than Forsyth on Thursday, the new ASG Executive Board will appoint a person to the position after an application process. Forsyth said he will have to think carefully about whether to apply.
“I’d have to have some heart-to-hearts with the people who are on the Exec Board,” he said. “I’ve shown that I care about the position because I did go through the process of running.”
McCormick said Forsyth’s campaign strategy now will focus on fliering, talking to students and possibly launching a “smear campaign against no confidence.”
“I’m still here,” Forsyth said, “and I’ll be campaigning strongly between now and the race on Thursday.”
