The Student Government Association’s chambers may seem somewhat empty at its first meeting next semester.

Nine students will be running for SGA legislative seats in the elections on March 16 and 17.

The legislative seats will be elected if students approve a referendum today on a proposed SGA constitution.

The SGA legislature, which would be called the senate, would have 35 seats. Twenty-eight would be elected in the spring semester.

The SGA judicial council next year will decide how to fill the positions with no candidates, SGA President John Bradley said.

Students Melissa Paris, Katharine Pettit, Brittany Fausey, John Law, Alicia Bachicha, Abby Lovan, Sarah Cecil, Mason Stevenson and Robert Watkins will have to be elected by the students if a proposed constitution is passed today, according to information provided by SGA.

A student who filed for a legislative position yesterday will seek an exemption from the judicial council to run in the elections, said Jessica Martin, SGA vice president of administration.

She did not say who the student was.

Some legislative candidates support having to run for a position.

“I’m fine with the change and I think it’s more in line in what we should be doing,” Adairville senior John Law said.

Edmonton junior Alicia Bachicha said electing the legislative branch is a great opportunity to move towards a more government-like setting.

“Competitive elections can only be good,” she said.

Current SGA officers are also interested in holding a legislative seat.

SGA Parliamentarian Mason Stevenson said elections for the legislative branch gives candidates more incentive to represent the students that elected them.

Abby Lovan, vice president of public relations, said she is seeking a legislative position to pursue interests in other areas of SGA.

Lovan, a junior from Jeffersonville, Ind., said requiring legislative elections has many advantages.

“It brings the people who are really, really interested,” she said. “It’s just a very positive move for student government.”

Stevenson said he plans on talking to students about the elections to campaign.

“I’m not representing myself, I’m representing a body of students,” he said.

Louisville junior Sarah Cecil said she plans on encouraging students to go to SGA’s Web site to read candidate profiles.

Law said he does not plan on campaigning by hanging posters or flyers across the Hill.

“I will talk to people and try to get elected that way,” he said.

SGA Chief Justice Troy Ransdell said exemptions will not be given after Thursday because there would not be enough time for Information Technology to put the additional name on TopNet.

Reach Ashlee Clark at [email protected]