Voting Kicks Off to Decide UND’s Nickname

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Fargo Judge Thomas Olson has refused to stop the voting for a new UND nickname.

He got the case after seven judges in Grand Forks recused themselves.
 
Voting kicked off this morning at 8am and the UND community will have until Friday to pick their favorite nickname.

While not everyone is on board with the five options, it’s only a matter of time until UND has a new nickname.
 
It’s been a contentious topic among the UND community.

Which nickname will replace Fighting Sioux?
 
“Fighting hawks is my first choice if we have to change nicknames,” says UND Sophomore Nathan Wilson.
 
Even a last minute lawsuit seeking to include North Dakota as an option isn’t stopping the process.
 

“The process has gone on for more than a year and it’s involved many opportunities for public input,” says Vice President of University Affairs, Susan Walton.

The names to choose from include: Fighting Hawks, Nodaks, North Stars, Roughriders and Sundogs.

The decision is left in the hands of more than 80,000 eligible UND students, alumni, faculty, retirees and season ticket holders.
 
“Planning on voting at all today?”
“No.”
“How come?”
“I don’t like any of the options,” says UND Sophomore, Rachel Swanton.
 
“The University expects alumni to have the biggest say in the future nickname.”
 
“I wish North Dakota was still an option but I don’t like any of the other names. I’d rather vote so we’re not the Roughriders or the Nodaks. That’s just dumb,” says UND Senior, Dani Thorpe.
 
“You don’t want to put in others people’s hands what the name should be. You should have an opinion on it,” says UND Senior, Ashley Green.
 
If one nickname doesn’t get 50 percent of the vote by midnight Friday, another vote will take place.
 
Not to sway any decisions, but UND hockey player Drake Caggiula says on his Twitter he’s voting for the Nodaks as the next team name.