Voting begins today for IUSA

Eight hundred and 14 red cups line the Arboretum on an uncharacteristically sunny February afternoon, and junior Tyson Chastain is in full form.\n"This is supposed to symbolize every person who's gotten arrested last year," the Crimson presidential candidate says, pausing several times to wave to a familiar face amid the torrent of passing class-goers. "Vote Crimson!" he insists.\nThe fair weather has roused the conversational spirit in several students who stop to talk issues with the Crimson T-shirt-touting Chastain and his Vice Presidential Candidate Jesse Laffen.\n"The best thing about it is, sometimes we think we know the best, and then we hear other things," Chastain says. "We have had a few people asking what we're promoting here, and after talking to them and telling them what we're about, it seems that their attitude changes."\nOf course, there's bound to be dissenters anyway. While Chastain and Laffen chat and shake hands, a lone student inconspicuously kicks over each cup he passes. \n"I think he's just mad because that cup represents him," jokes Chastain. "It happens."\nThough the sunny weather hasn't lasted long, the campaign marches on at Saturday night's men's basketball game against Ohio State. Most of the throngs of people filing into Assembly Hall zip their jackets tight in the sub-freezing weather, but senior Dan Shapiro -- clad in a green Fusion t-shirt -- seems to have found another way to keep warm.\n"Free clappers, vote Fusion for IUSA," he says while he and a group of supporters scramble between potential voters and a bag full of multi-colored sound-makers. "Send those Buckeyes home!"\nFifteen minutes into the charade, the campaigners exhaust all 1,000 clappers, and Shapiro and company are ready to enjoy the game.\n"This is fun. I feel like we should be spending our money on this everyday," he says. "We should have got 2,000."\nPerhaps he was right -- the Buckeyes went on to make 75 percent of their free throws.\nThe wee hours of Monday morning find an energetic crowd of Big Red staffers preparing to launch the last leg of their campaign. Supporters meet at the party's headquarters to assemble posterboard outfits advertising: "Wet Campus, Go Big Red," or "Big Red: We're the best ticket -- no seriously, we really are."\n"We're having a fun time," says Vice Presidential candidate Angel Rivera, as Miles Davis' "Birth of the Cool" plays in the background. "We have a great team. We've all become very good friends over the campaign."\nThe Big Red die-hards don't leave the affectionately-dubbed "no-sleeping zone" until 4 a.m.\nA few hours later, daylight breaks, and Big Red is back in action. Some decoration has taken place overnight, and several bridges now sport the Big Red Web site address. At the Indiana Memorial Union, campaign organizers hand out Big Red T-shirts and Big Red drink coolers. Later on, presidential candidate Katie Diggins reflects on the days' success.\n"People love 'em," she says of the drink coolers, or "koozies." "Who wouldn't want one? I live for this (stuff)."\nSenior Aaron Radez decided to take the high-tech route. The Hoosier Party presidential candidate personally designed and built www.votehoosierparty.com from the ground up.\n"We wanted to make it exciting so that it would be something students would want to check out," Radez says.\nFlashy animation and publicity shots of musical groups Outkast, Linkin Park, John Mayer and Snoop Dogg advertise the party's promise to provide large-scale concerts for the student body. Visitors can read up on their their sporting event ticket policies, as well as the Hoosier Party's plan to "put the smack down on local law enforcement and public officials to keep them from harassing responsible students."\nThe site also features a student feed-back form from which Radez relates a comment received from a user who identifies himself only as "God."\n"'God' has personally visited our Web site and provided us his email address," Radez laughs, "and we intend on getting back to 'God.'"\n-- Contact staff writer Mike McElroy at mmcelroy@indiana.edu.