The campaign gears are moving into "drive" as candidates begin to communicate with students about their platforms and ideas.

The Undergraduate Student Government presidential and vice-presidential candidates have been busy posting fliers, working on their Web sites and building their platforms.

"Overall, we think it's been going great," presidential contender Robert Michaels (junior-political science) said.

Candidates have been working on their Web sites and creating interesting ways to catch students' attention.

Michaels said they have a new slogan that should strike the interest of students.

"We'd like to see how people react to it," he said. "It's a new slogan and a new direction."

The slogan, "Let us drink in peace," will hang above the Darkhorse Tavern, 128 E. College Ave., outside an apartment.

The slogan is centered on the idea of having less administration involvement in student life, said Michaels' campaign manager Jason Covener.

Covener said it's not meant to be a "pro-drinking" statement, but a message to the university to let students make their own decisions about alcohol.

Other candidates have a variety of ideas for campaigning up their sleeves.

"We've got a lot of surprises in store. Keep watching the Web site," presidential candidate John Linde (junior-mechanical engineering) said.

Presidential candidate and Town Sen. Justin Zartman said he and his ticket sharer, Amanda Hudnall (junior-industrial engineering), have been planning events to speak to student organizations and students about their campaign.

"We're there to present our platform but also to address their concerns," she said.

Zartman said their focus is students.

"It's not about bringing the students to us. It's about going out and talking to them," he said. "We're really trying for one-on-one contact with students."

Most candidates' main concern is student opinion.

"Our main thinking right now is to meet as many students as possible," said presidential candidate Matt Rokita (junior-mechanical engineering).

Zartman said they want to let students know that they are working on goals but that there is much more room for student input on different issues.

Hudnall said they have been meeting in the evening with different student organizations.

Presidential candidate Katelyn Belyus (sophomore-liberal arts) said keeping communication open to students is an important part of her campaign.

"We want to see people person-to-person," Belyus said.

Candidates have been hanging fliers around campus as a part of their campaigns. Michaels said he and his running mate Claudia Lum (freshman-premedicine) have already put up 1,000 fliers and will begin to distribute more today.

Some candidates said they don't put a lot of fliers out because they are not that significant to their campaigns.

"I think fliers are overrated. I think it's more important that people see you have good issues," Linde said.

Vice-presidential candidate Benjamin Gerald (senior-architectural engineering) said they do not want to use as many fliers for environmental reasons.

"We don't want to waste paper. Obviously there's an amount that's needed, but there's also an excessive amount out there. We're not trying to plaster the entire campus, but use more word of the mouth," Gerald said.

Some candidates said their fliers have been ripped off the bulletin boards. Some said commons workers take them down when the boards become too crowded.

"That's a little frustrating to see, when obviously all the campaigns are working hard and their work is being destroyed," Rokita said.

Belyus said some fliers were torn down within a two-and-a-half hour time period after she hung them.

"I think it's disturbing," she said.

Belyus said she asked her building supervisors if the building attendants took the fliers down. They said fliers are only taken down when the event already took place.