For the eight ASB candidates, Friday, April 20 marked the final day to convince fellow students why they should be elected onto student council.

Throughout lunch, crowds of students congregated in front of the cafeteria to receive their ballot number to vote. Students voted electronically via computers in the Journalism Room. Around 70% of the student body voted.

After the candidates made their speeches last Wednesday, many became confused on who to vote for as all of the candidates seemed equally eligible for the position. Kelly Wang (9) believed that even though the decision may be tough, everyone should vote since “they are our leaders for next year and they make the big decisions that impact us.”

“You need to know who’s qualified enough to do the best job and who has the best interest [in the student body],” she said.

Others, like Alan Soetikno, vote because student council is their voice in the administration and implement projects based on the opinions of the student body.

“If you want something to be done then you vote for someone who is the most approachable and can do something about it,” he said.

Throughout the past week, candidates made speeches, displayed posters, distributed magnets and wrist bands, and created online Facebook pages to further advertise their candidacy.

“I think there’s good candidates in every position and I think more than in previous years, people put a lot of time and dedication into making their campaigns, marketing themselves, and into writing their speeches,” Presidential candidate Simar Mangat (11) said.

Candidates went as far as to create websites, order donut holes for classmates, and hand out t-shirts for supporters. Some, like junior Indulaxmi Seeni, disliked the intensity of the marketing.

“The campaigning was definitely a little excessive in my opinion…I don’t think it was necessary to go that far,” she said. However, most participated in the mania surrounding the elections.

There are two candidates for each office position; some used their previous experience on respective class councils as the paramount contention in their campaigns, others promised new goals such as softer toilet paper or the installation blinds in Shah Hall.

ASB results will be announced on Monday.