The votes are in, the results are being tallied and soon everyone will know who won - but the question remains whether anyone cares.
While the official results in the Michigan Student Assembly's representative elections will not be released until late today, one thing is for sure - turnout was low, even by MSA standards.
"Turnout is going to be pretty low overall," MSA Election Director Angie Blake said last night. "Today didn't help much and the numbers will be low - that's surprising because there were so many candidates."
Even Angell Hall, which has teemed with voters in years past, was far from crowded with students willing to cast a ballot.
"When we worked last year, the line was out the door here at this time," said LSA sophomore Amy Gill, who worked at the Angell Hall MSA poll site yesterday. "Now it's really slow."
As fewer voters populated the polling sites, fewer candidates came out to further their cause.
"Monday, Wednesday and Friday there are more classes so there are more people out those days," said independent LSA candidate David Lanxner. "It seems like there are fewer candidates out here too."
Lanxner said it was frustrating to be ignored by students.
"I hate it when they just brush me off and walk by - but I guess I'd probably do it too," said Lanxner, who campaigned on the Diag yesterday. "It's just frustrating because I'm freezing."
Blake and other MSA representatives criticized those running for not campaigning as hard as candidates in past assembly elections.
"They weren't pushing that hard," Blake said. "It wasn't a typical election with lots of people out on the Diag and things like that."
Those that did turn out to cast a ballot seemed more concerned with assembly issues than posters and fliers they had seen.
"I voted pretty much by party because I felt like I knew what the parties stood for," said LSA sophomore Leyla Scashaani. "The foreign language requirement was an important issue for me."
Engineering first-year student Mike Nuse said he was ready to see new blood on the assembly.
"I got a chance to talk to some of the candidates when they visited some of the groups I'm involved in," Nuse said. "I think the most important issue is seeing new faces on the assembly and ensuring the assembly moves in a new direction - I figure change is good."
Some students said voting yesterday was more convenient than Wednesday.
"I wanted to vote yesterday, but I just didn't see a polling site anywhere so I had to wait until today," Scashaani said yesterday morning.
Supporters of the three student fee increase ballot proposals said they were not worried by the low turnout.
"I'm hoping that the people that did turn out voted in favor of (the Project Serve and Black Volunteer Network ballot proposal)," said Project Serve Director Anita Bohn. "I think all of us involved in Project Serve are out there voting, but the service community is pretty unanimous in their support of this - it's not just our people."
LSA Rep. Jonathan Winick, who drafted the fee increase to benefit general MSA funds, said low turnout will not affect his proposal.
"Turnout is dependent on a lot of things, none of which have to do with the ballot question," Winick said. "It's hard to tell what effect turnout will have, but I think the increase for MSA funds will pass because the way it was worded gave students all the facts involved - they know exactly where the money will go."
Blake said the elections came and went without any major snags, but that the hardest part is still to come.
"Both days went pretty smoothly. We didn't have any major violations and we didn't have to call DPS on anyone," Blake said.
Blake said that despite lower totals than in past years, the Fishbowl and the Union still attracted the most voters.
Poll workers extended the hours of the EECS site an hour to appease voter demand. The sight was the most popular on North Campus.
JULLY PARK/Daily
Independent MSA candidate Andy Schor campaigns at the Fishbowl yesterday. Schor had little company at the polls because of cold weather and low turnout.