Students can submit their ballots for Associated Student Government Senate elections starting Thursday. Election voting will be open from 5 p.m. on Oct. 4 to 5 p.m. on Oct. 7.

The ASG Senate includes 40 members — 20 School Senators and 20 Student Group Senators. Each undergraduate school is allocated a number of Senators based on its student population.

Each year, the Senate drafts and votes on new legislation, divides funds between student groups and mediates the relationship between University administration and the student body.

“I look forward to just having a transparent student government that wants to be there to help (students) express concerns in a way that’s easier than just saying, ‘I have this issue, I don’t know who to go to, I can’t talk to administration on my own,’” said Weinberg junior and Speaker of the Senate Grace Houren.

Ballot petitions will be open until Oct. 2 at 11:59 p.m. Those looking to run in this year’s election are required to collect a minimum of 30 signatures and netIDs from undergraduate students in order to be included on the ballot.

Once the ballot period ends, NU students will vote for the candidates in their own school. The voting system allows each student to order the candidates by their preference.

ASG announced that students should keep an eye out next week for an email with a link to vote through Wildcat Connection.

The new Senators’ term will begin on Oct. 8, and Senate meetings will occur Wednesday evenings with the first meeting on Oct. 9 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Houren said students should think through how they vote in the upcoming elections.

“Make sure you know someone’s platform, because Senators are there to represent you as a student and represent your school,” Houren said. “You want to make sure that you’re putting your trust in someone who’s actually going to show up for you and fight for what you want.”

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @Janelle_Mella

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