Editor’s note: Specific details to each of the candidate’s positions and platforms will be further featured in the Daily Eastern News throughout the week.

Candidates for the student government executive board positions were given time to present their platforms Monday despite the lack of candidates, with only one contested position.

The executive vice president is the only executive position contested this year, with current Student Senate Speaker Brandon Goodman and Lauren Price, the vice-chairwoman for the Student Action Team, in the running.

The other non-contested positions include Reggie Thedford, the student affairs committee chairman, who is running for student body president; Yazmin Rodriguez, a Student Senate member, running for student vice president for student affairs; and Shirmeen Ahmad, the academic affairs committee chairwoman, who is running for the student vice president for academic affairs.

Current Student Body President Kaylia Eskew said many of the student senate members who might have run for one of the positions were currently seeking other leadership positions on campus.

Per student government bylaws, executive members cannot hold another executive position in another organization.

She added the student body size can have an effect on the student participation in the election and the senate has many new senate members who are not ready and old senate members who are graduating.

“I think our student body in general is fluctuating and, in particular, we have a very young senate,” Eskew said. “It just takes them a little bit more time to feel up to taking on a position like that.”

Price and Rodriguez agreed. They both said they believe the young senate members just do not feel ready to attack the large roles that come with each position.

Price added many are leaving student government to seek roles in other organizations.

Rodriguez said all of the pieces fit leading to a lack in anticipated participation in student government as a whole.

Goodman said he believed these were not the only contributing factors to the lack of applications.

He said he believed student government has been doing a poor job of promoting themselves to the student body in general, let alone the elections.

“Honestly, the word isn’t getting spread like it should be. It is not getting out to the student body,” Goodman said.

Despite the lack of competition, Thedford, Rodriguez and Ahmad were nervous about the elections.

Students can still vote “no confidence” in the upcoming election from midnight April 7 until midnight April 8.

They agreed while they were worried about students voting “no confidence,” they were glad that it existed making the position mean more.

Rodriguez said she wants to say she earned her position and did not just receive it through a lack of competition.

She added she was confident those who know her will understand her passion for the position and the work she has put into the senate.

Thedford said it is still a big deal for students to vote on these positions.

He said he was also confident people will recognize the passion he exudes.

Ahmad said it is important students know there is an option to vote “no confidence.”

“I don’t want them to just bypass it and vote for me,” she said. “It is still open for me. I don’t know if I have this position or not. I hope they think I can do it and that I am here for them.”

These issues with a young senate and people leaving for graduation or other leadership positions has also seeped into the number of senate members set for the next year prompting the executive board to extend the deadline to apply to April 2 for the senate positions. There are 16 open seats available.

Eskew said they are working to promote these positions to give next year’s senate an easier time.

There will be outreach tables set up throughout the next two weeks at the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union.

Goodman and Price are running similar campaigns. Both said there needs to be a more major focus on voter registration. This year yielded a small turnout from the student body.

Price said it is important to increase the number of students voting. She said many laws are being passed or reviewed that students have a stake in such as the 1 percent increase in sales tax.

Goodman agreed. He said there was a severe lack in student participation and it was unacceptable. This year, only 500 students had been registered.

“I believe there was relaxed approach taken to the idea that I hope not to see again,” Goodman said.

He added there needs to be closer sponsorship with political science RSOs like the College Democrats and Republicans. He also said timing was also a factor affecting the election

Jarad Jarmon can be reached at 581-2812 or jsjarmon@eiu.edu.