The word is finally getting out and petitions are coming in for students to be included on the Student Association senate election ballot.

SA President Robert McCormack said 51 students took petitions for 40 senate seats. Twenty-three of the petitions were taken since the executive board extended the deadline.

The original process was rushed, said SA Public Relations Adviser Lara Cippola. That, coupled with little advertising, “was a breakdown within our own communication lines,” McCormack said.

McCormack said the board had to decide to either hold the election with few candidates, which could have hurt the SA, or advertise for a delayed election.

McCormack said mistakes are inevitable for the first-year executive board. “This was an error we were able to catch and fix before everything was completed,” he said.

“Before we had a breakdown in the election, we had to regroup and get everything together so that we are insured of a successful election rather than one that is one with very few candidates,” McCormack said.

“We are looking for people who are dedicated and have taken the initiative to become involved rather than by a fluke getting elected,” he said.

During last year’s elections, only 35 students turned in petitions for the 45 senator seats. Also, the senate was plagued by senators elected by as few as two votes.

McCormack said the board is “taking the heat” for the extension and suffering its short-term effects, including irritating candidates who made the first deadline and appearing unorganized.

But, McCormack said, it is better for students that the elections were rescheduled. During the delay, the SA is contacting student organizations in search of possible candidates to create a strong ballot for the voters.

The SA invited people to get petitions, includng members of greek organizations, the Organization for Latin American Students, Minority Welcome and 600 students who indicated on their ACT tests they were interested in student government.