About 2,150 ballots were cast Wednesday to elect next semester’s Student Association president, vice president and treasurer.

By 2 p.m. Wednesday, there already were more than 1,500 ballots cast, said SA Election Commissioner Ray Callahan.

Although most votes were cast between classes, poll worker George Walden said he noticed a steady flow of voters even during classes.

Voter turnout is higher than compared to last year, Callahan said. A total of about 2,300 students, less than 10 percent of NIU’s student population, cast ballots in the 1989 executive election.

Callahan said he is optimistic about today’s election and would like to see the 20,000 other elegible student voters visit the polls.

“It’s nice seeing students taking an interest,” SA Sen. Pat Sanchez said. However, he said he thinks the majority of votes were cast Wednesday in response to candidate endorsements from various campus organizations.

NIU freshman Tricia Harnish said controversy about the presidential candidates and The Northern Star coverage of the elections probably caught student’s interest.

Awareness of the election and the candidates contributed to the relatively-large voter turnout, Callahan said.

Presidential Candidate John Fallon said the high voter turnout shows that students care. “I’m glad students are displaying more of an interest this year. Hopefully, it will continue Thursday,” he said.

The polls will be open today from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Students can vote in DuSable Hall lobby, Founders Memorial Library and the Holmes Student Center’s Pow Wow Cafeteria.

Fallon and SA Sen. Robert McCormack are competing for president. SA Senators Kathleen Rosenberg and Tanya Smith, along with student Dave Schaeff, are competing for vice president. SA Finance Committee members Mike Holy and Richard Parkman are competing for treasurer.

“I’m really happy with the turnout. The candidates are really motivated,” and encouraging people to vote, Callahan said.

Fallon said, “for any candidate, a bigger voter turnout is beneficial.”