Voters may see a lot more names up for office during the Student Government Association elections this month.

Students interested in becoming a member of the SGA legislative branch next school year would have to be elected to the position, if students approve a new constitution in a referendum on March 9.

Today is the last day to file to run for SGA executive offices and the possible legislative seats.

There would be three executive positions and 28 legislative seats up for election on March 16 and March 17 – if the constitution passes.

About 15 people have filed for executive or legislative positions as of yesterday, SGA Chief Justice Troy Randsell said.

Ransdell said students are unaware that it may be required to run for a legislative seat.

“It’s probably going to take a couple of years to get used to policy changes,” he said.

The sophomore, junior and senior classes would each elect four representatives this semester. Fourteen at-large representatives and two graduate student representatives would also be elected this semester.

Four freshman representatives and three at-large positions would be elected during the fall.

Students would continue to elect the SGA president, vice president and vice president for administration under the proposed constitution.

Two vice president positions – finance and public relations – would be eliminated.

All three of the executive offices under the new constitution have at least two candidates, SGA President John Bradley said yesterday.

Names of candidates will be released on Wednesday, he said.

Unfilled senate positions may either be appointed or voted on in the fall election, said Robert Watkins, chair of the legislative research committee and author of the new constitution.

There has been no decision on which option would be used, he said.

Candidates for the proposed SGA senate must have at least a 2.0 grade point average, be in good standing with the university and be enrolled as a full-time student; they cannot be a faculty or staff member, according to the proposed constitution.

Executive office candidates must meet the same requirements as senate members. They must also have at least a 2.5 GPA, 30 credit hours, and at least one year as an elected or appointed officer, unless they are granted an exception.

Bradley said he believes the fall elections will be bigger than the spring elections because there would be more time to plan for the implementation of the new constitution.

Reach Ashlee Clark at [email protected].