The Evolution of the Quest to Become SBP

Campaign workers have flooded the Pit, and candidates' fliers have been taped and stapled all over campus.

For years, candidates have used standard methods of campaigning -- posters, Pit sits and residence hall visits. But recently e-mails, Web sites and multimedia have been incorporated.

Changes in technology have made the election process quicker and more efficient -- but also more regulated.

The Internet has become an influential campaigning tool, said Lee Conner, former Graduate and Professional Student Federation president and a 1996 student body president candidate. "Prior to the Internet, candidates focused on paper -- posters and handbills -- and word of mouth," he said. "Now technology is a new channel that allows people to be much more creative."

Web sites are one way candidates can take advantage of new technology to spread their messages to voters. "Many of this year's candidates campaigned with innovative online movies that are both funny and catchy," he said.

But former student body presidents say campaigning through technology isn't enough. "Person-to-person contact is the way to go," said Paul Parker, 1984-85 student body president. "The winner is the one who meets the most people, who has the most exposure."

Parker said his most effective strategy was canvassing residence halls twice. "Elections are really hand-to-hand combat," he said. "We had bloody knuckles from knocking on doors. We'd use elbows, shoes, whatever it took to not have to use our sore hands."

Robert Powell Jr., 1966-67 student body president, also focused on making his face familiar. "Door-to-door campaigning was fairly unregulated back then," he said. "We weren't allowed in women's residence halls, but we scheduled candidate nights for coeds."

Although some University regulations have relaxed, elections restrictions have grown since Powell's presidency.

Emily Margolis, Board of Elections chairwoman, said the increase in election regulations is aimed at preventing candidates from infringing on students' rights. "The goal now is to continue to protect people's privacy," she said.

Though elections have not always been regulated by student government, they have never lacked structure. Prior to 1970, two campus parties -- the University Party and the Student Party -- determined slates of candidates and provided campaigning support.

"The party organization's main function was to promote its candidate," said John Sanders, 1950-51 student body president. "In addition to supporters, they provided most of the manpower a candidate could gather."

Conner said the role of campaign workers has focused less on pounding the pavement with recent changes.

"With current technology, you have a different method of people management," he said. "You still need lots of people, but they can help from their dorm or apartment."

Though campaigning strategies have been shaped by changes in technology and election procedures, former candidates agree that personal contact is still key to winning elections.

"There is no substitute for individual person-to-person contact," Conner said. "Whether it's Instant Messaging someone a link to Student Central or pointing your hand to a polling site, you can't beat human interaction."

The Features Editor can be reached at features@unc.edu.