RHA candidates begin campaigns

Campaigning for Residence Hall Association executive positions officially began Sunday night after a candidates meeting in the Wright Quad formal lounge.\nThe Residence Hall population will vote on the four main positions within RHA when polls open from 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. March 6 in the residence halls. \nThe four executive positions are RHA president, vice president of student affairs, vice president of programming and vice president of internal affairs.\nThe vice president of programming remains the only contested election, pitting sophomore Stephanie Shaffer of the Smile ticket against sophomore Erin Ransford of the Empower ticket. The other three offices offer candidates only from the Empower ticket. They are senior Ken Minami for president, senior Brian Holman for vice president of student affairs and sophomore Mary Moore for vice president of internal affairs.\nAn uncontested election features a Yes or No ballot, so voters choose whether they want that candidate in that position. An uncontested candidate must receive more than 50 percent "yes" votes to be elected.\nVoters can meet the executive candidates in a forum 9 p.m. Thursday in Ashton Center.\nRHA election commissioner Chris Boudi, a senior, said elections are vital to the campus.\n"We feel it is very important because it affects 10,000 residents on campus," Boudi said.