So... What Now?

Imagine putting in over two weeks of sweat, blood and tears and then, on the night that all of your hard work is supposed to pay off, you're told that you'll have to wait another week. This is the situation that KaLeigh & Alicia and Tom & Blake now find themselves in after neither of them were able to obtain more than 50 percent of the votes in this week's presidential/vice presidential campaign, resulting in a runoff election that will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday. So what are the candidates doing in anticipation of the runoff?

Let's find out!

Interview with Blake Findley
Q: What are your plans in the days leading up to the runoff election?
Blake: We plan to spend a lot of time connecting with students, especially those that originally voted for David and Katie. Hearing students' opinions on NISG and figuring out how we can answer many of their concerns continues to be an important part of our campaign. Our plans are to regroup and push very hard the last few days of the election, connecting with those those who had supported us in the original election and those who have not voted yet.

Q: You were second in votes to KaLeigh and Alicia. How do you intend to make up that ground?
Blake: We plan on being visible to all students not only in our meeting with student organizations, but in our day-to-day activities on campus and tabling. We hope to get our campaign team to really focus on getting everyone out to vote, regardless of who they vote for. We encourage all students to come talk to us whether in class, tabling, or if you see us in the Union or across campus. Also, students should feel free to contact us via email, our website or any other media possible.

Q: What have you learned over the past two weeks that will help you through this final week?
Blake: The past two weeks have illustrated how powerful a team can be. With the right dynamic and a balanced skill set, a group of people can do pretty much anything. As Margaret Mead once said, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." Our campaign team has epitomized this quote as we have overcome several obstacles that were beyond our control and still managed to obtain 33 percent of the vote. If elected, we hope to take this knowledge to our selection of our cabinet, so we can better serve the university. We have also learned how incredible the students are at our university. Time and time again, we have had several random students congratulate us or wish us luck. Sometimes we'll have students ask us how we've been doing or when we've last eaten (faculty and staff, too). We've also been able to meet so many more students than we previously knew, all of whom reinforce the belief that the students at UNI are the best students.

Q: Why you? Why are you two the best candidates to lead and represent this student body?
Blake: The election has had excellent candidates, but we bring a more diverse array of experiences to the table. Our significant NISG experience, in conjunction with our leadership roles in several other areas of campus, will allow us to better serve the students of the University of Northern Iowa. We have several ideas we want to try to implement to bring greater transparency and accessibility, sustainability and inclusivity to our great campus and will work to the best of our ability to see those through.

Interview with KaLeigh White
Q: What are your plans in the days leading up to the runoff election?
KaLeigh: Over the next few days we would like to continue meeting with students and spreading the word about voting on March 5 and 6. We are very thankful for the support we've received over the last two weeks and we hope to keep hearing from more students. We really want everyone to be informed voters and we are extremely thankful for every chance we get to talk with other students.

Q: You had the most votes, but failed to get 50 percent. How do you intend to build off of that?
KaLeigh: We are very happy about how the first part of campaigning went and so we hope to build off of that same foundation. We need those who voted in the first election to vote again and also help encourage their friends to vote. We think this runoff election really demonstrates how important every single vote is and we hope that will help motivate people to stay involved.

Q: What have you learned over the past two weeks that will help you through this final week?
KaLeigh: Over the last two weeks we have learned to just keep talking to people. There is an endless amount of ideas and passion on this campus and we really would like to capture that in the work we do. I think it is also important to just stay positive. We have been inspired by all of the support we have received over the last two weeks. Even though the process may be stressful at times, we are reminded every single day why we are running and that is because we love this university community. There are so many amazing and powerful students on this campus and we want to help them however we can.

Q: Why you? Why are you two the best candidates to lead and represent this student body?
KaLeigh: Alicia and I believe that our experience, dedication and passion set us apart. During my time as student body vice president and Alicia's time as executive director of diversity and student life, we have learned a lot and made extensive connections on campus and in the state. We have the experience that will allow us to make the most of our time in office. The year goes by very fast, which makes our experience and knowledge even more important, as it will allow us to be as efficient and effective as possible. Most importantly, Alicia and I are genuinely dedicated to serving UNI students. We care a lot about this campus and we only want the best for it. We will give everything we have to the jobs to assure that UNI students feel connected to and proud of their university.

And there you have it! The week between the first election and the runoff election is somewhat of a strange time. You've probably seen updated profile pics and cover photos being posted on Facebook, but other than what, what else can the two tickets do? For Tom and Blake, you've a got a week to close a gap of more than 200 votes, while also maintaining the votes they've received the first time around. And KaLeigh and Alicia, despite getting the most votes in the first election, need to hold their tenuous lead without dropping their vote total and allowing Tom and Blake to pull ahead. It is a slippery slope, to the say least. Everyone involved is exhausted and overworked, and I'm sure the days leading up to the runoff will be stressful for both of the tickets.

I have also received word from David and Katie and been informed that, in the interest of continuing to encourage student voices, they will not be endorsing a ticket. So, without an official endorsement, it'll be interesting to see where the votes for David and Katie will go in the runoff election.

Keep checking back for more coverage on the runoff election!