Collegiate Times

For sophomore Tara Cozier, becoming a senator within SGA was not planned. Cozier found out about the elections though a friend who was stopping by her residence hall room.

"It was all by chance," the engineering science and mechanics major said. After a less-than-rigorous campaign which including talking to her friends in her portion of Slusher Hall, Cozier was able to garner four votes. Those votes were enough for Cozier to take a seat representing the College of Engineering.

"I was very surprised," Cozier said. The rules for a write-in candidate, defined in Section III part B, are very clear. The rules state that the candidate with the most votes, write-in or declared, will be deemed the winner of the election so long as said candidate has not violated election rules. There is no minimum number of votes for a write-candidate to take office.

"If you have one vote and nobody else does, congratulations you are a senator," said Dana Gilmore, chief justice for the SGA.

With only 16 candidates running for 34 senate openings, Gilmore said the SGA will be looking for write-in and volunteer candidates to fill positions.

"Not immediately filling the positions isn't a major worry," Gilmore said. One area of need is senators to represent university studies. There are currently no entries on the ballot for the potential two slots. Gilmore noted that since university studies is limited to students with fewer than 60 credit hours, the spot would be filled by a underclassman.

"It's a great way to get freshmen involved with the SGA," Gilmore said.

Despite earning her seat last election through write-in votes, this election Cozier will have her name on the ballot.

"After this past year I've realized I enjoy being a senator. That's why I'm back on the ballot."

Cozier offered advice to those who were interested in becoming a write-in candidate.

"Go for it," Cozier said. "Ask your friends to also write you in."