For this year's election, sophomore and Elections Commission (ECOM) Chair Adam Weldai hopes that around 65 percent of the student body will come out to the polls.
Although this would shatter the previous record - last year 45 percent turned out for an all-time high - Weldai said that his goal is achievable.
"I think that over the past year and a half we've seen a very different type of voting habit and we've seen a very different type of voter," he said. "[Students] really see that they have stake in the future of the campus through their vote, through the elections process."
While this year's campaign season has seemed relatively quiet, he expects that the dynamics of today's election will work in favor of a high turnout.
"It seems like it's been quieter than previous years, but in actuality I think the candidates themselves ... have really been drawing a lot of attention and I think their authenticity is really going to draw voters out to the polls," he said.
The online polls opened at 12:01 this morning and will remain open until 11:59 this evening. While most voting is done online, there will also be a mobile polling station in the campus center.
Students will also have one more official chance to meet the candidates and discuss their platforms with them from 12-1 p.m., also in the campus center.
While not defending their positions at the campus center, both candidates said last night that they will try to reach out to students in the hours leading up to the end of the election.
"Tonight I'm just going to pray for the best and walk around and maybe meet some people," junior and candidate Amanda Richardson said.
"I'm running a campaign that is really based on talking to people and hearing from everybody at this school. For the next 24 hours, that's what I'll be trying to do - talking to people and finding what people want to do," sophomore and candidate Neil DiBiase said.
-by Rob Silverblatt
