By Liz Haggarty
An independent RyeSAC candidate had his posters targeted last week when unknown vandals ripped them from the walls of the Library Building.
“I’ve been respectful to other people’s posters; all I ask is a little bit of respect,” said Fernando Rodriguez, the only candidate running for vice president finance and services without a slate.
Rodriguez, who currently is relying on crutches to walk, received attention last week when students noticed he had difficulty carrying his rolls of neon posters.
The candidate sticks them to the walls with the help of his campaign team of two–girlfriend Paola Merino and “campaign manager” Sarah Weinrauch?–as well as anyone else he can coerce for the day.
“I don’t have a campaign team but [I have] dear friends that have volunteered and pitched in because they believe in me.”
Rodriguez’s poster total is especially tiny compared to those of fellow candidates Ram Sivapalan and Mike McKenna, who have put up “more than a few hundred” and 400 posters, respectively.
Rodriguez attributes his popularity to being “just a guy on crutches [whom people] feel sorry for,” though he assures people he’s not faking his injuries for the sympathy vote.
“My mum and aunt wanted to come and put up posters for me,” he says. Their support would have doubled his team’s efforts, but unfortunately they didn’t register in time to provide outside help.
Still, in light of his posters being removed, the candidate remains in good spirits, joking that that one day he’ll meet one of the perpetrators and get the vandal to admit: “I ripped your posters but I didn’t (want to) rip the photo because you looked too good.”
The RyeSAC office confirmed the posters were not removed for any reasons relating to the violation of the elections campaign code.
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