As the deadline to submit petitions for the spring Student Government election approaches, changes in the election process may make campaigning a must for candidates.

In previous years, petitions were due approximately five days before the election, said Chris Getty, student body president. This year, petitions are due at noon Friday, which is almost two weeks before polling places open. The fall election was also set up this way.

“I definitely expect elections to run much more smoothly (with the changes),” Getty said. “We had virtually no problems in the fall (election).”

Thirteen petitions for executive board and Senate member positions have been turned in as of Tuesday afternoon.

Getty said with the previous deadline, almost all petitions came in on the due date, but he expects at least 20 to 25 more petitions by the deadline for this election.

CeCe Brinker, director of Student Life, agreed and said “usually the week of (the deadline) is when (petitions) really start coming in.”

The process was changed to give candidates more opportunity to campaign and seek attention from local media, Getty said.

Ryan Berger, who is running for student body president for the Student Interaction Party, said the change is beneficial for both candidates and voters.

“(The changes give opportunities for students to) know the candidates and understand the issues surrounding the election,” Berger said. “Candidates will have to appeal to students.”

Petitions from the United Campus, Student Interaction and Campus Reform parties as well as individual petitions have already been submitted, Getty said. The Student Interaction Party will join this group by turning in a total of 18 petitions today, Berger said.

Following the deadline, petitions will be reviewed by Brinker, Getty and an election commission, which is made up of two Senate members who are not up for re-election and one student who is not a member of Senate. The commission will be appointed by Getty.

A total of 20 seats are open in this election; five for executive positions and 15 for Senate members.

Petitions may be picked up in the Student Activities Center in the Martin Luther King Jr University Union and should be returned to Getty by noon Friday. No late petitions will be accepted.

Spring Election Deadlines

– Noon, Friday: Petitions due to Chris Getty in the Student Activities Center in the Union

– 7:30 p.m., Monday: Meeting for all candidates in the Arcola/Tuscola Room of the Union

– 7 p.m., April 7: Executive board candidates debate in Buzzard Auditorium

– 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., April 12-13: Spring election. Students may vote at the Union, Student Recreation Center and Carman and Coleman halls.

– April 13: Announcements of election results