The campaign atmosphere on H Street was a far cry from what it was two weeks ago, as the four candidates for Student Association president and executive vice president vied for the attention of student voters Wednesday, the first day of the runoff election.

Runoff elections – which occur when no candidate receives 40 percent of the vote required to win – are often more subdued than general elections, as there are fewer candidates and less posters scattered across campus.

Presidential candidate John Richardson said he will be outside all day meeting and getting to know the students better in an effort to win the election.

“We have a really strong presence out here and have laid out the groundwork to push us over the edge,” Richardson, who garnered 25.02 percent of the vote in the general election, said.

The scene was amicable as Richardson and his opponent Chris Clark – who received the most votes among the seven original presidential candidates  – stood together joking around as friends.

“He’s a good guy,” Richardson said, motioning toward Clark. “Just because we’re campaigning against each other doesn’t mean we can’t be friends.”

Clark agreed with Richardson, noting his excitement in the final stretch of the campaign.

“It’s a great day to be palm carding, baby,” Clark said. “We’ll be out here all day getting the word out.”

Executive vice presidential candidate Ted Costigan said he was the first to arrive on H Street at 7:45 a.m. to start campaigning.

“We’re motivated and got here early to begin the fight to win,” said Costigan, who received the largest percent of the vote among the EVP candidates at 32.53 percent.

Costigan is going up against EVP candidate Amanda Galonek, who garnered 26.53 of the vote in the general election.

Galonek, an SA senator and veteran to campaigning, noted the need to get the word out to students to vote in the runoff election.

“With seven presidential and five EVP candidates in the general election, voters came from every constituency,” Galonek said, referring to the general election. “Now that it is just between four candidates, we have to work harder to get the students to jump on board and vote.”

Online voting will end Thursday at 9 p.m.