The Student Association is getting an early start with this year’s executive elections.

Students looking to run for Student Association president, vice president or treasurer can pick up petitions starting Monday, Jan. 28, Vice President Tanya Smith said.

Two weeks will be given for students to collect 400 signatures from NIU students. The petitions will be due on Feb. 12.

This year’s election will be on March 5 and 6 compared to last year’s election on April 11 and 12, Smith said.

The first candidates for office last spring made their announcements on March 6. This year, those intending to run will be known in the next two weeks.

Smith wrote in a memo to her publicity advisers that the elections were scheduled early “to allow for a smooth transition of newly elected SA executives and their staff.”

She also stated that the extra post-election time was needed “for all the necessary preparations for staff interviewing and senate approval.”

“Although the two week period between the petition release and the due date is fast approaching, we can still put much publicity out around campus for the dates,” Smith wrote.

In agreement, SA Advertising Adviser John Quilico said he will have “no problem” with getting the word out about the petitions.

“There’s no pressure. In fact, I welcome it,” he said, referring to the earlier date.

Newspaper advertisements, flyers, and maybe a window display will be made to inform students about the petitions, Quilico said.

However, Quilico said a problem would exist if he were asked to advertise for the Illinois Student Association referendum along with the petition announcement.

He said the referendum has not been scheduled yet because not enough students have signed the petition to initiate the referendum.

“I want to concentrate on one big issue at a time,” he said.