Unless a number of students conduct write-in campaigns in the Wednesday and Thursday Student Association election, the senate will face empty seats.

Seventeen seats are available in the senate because senators graduated and resigned. Petitions were given to 14 students but as of 4:30 p.m. Monday, only nine students returned completed petitions.

Students are interested in write-in campaigns because they do not want to take time to gather signatures, said Ray Callahan, SA election commissioner.

A number of candidates, including Phill Buoscio and Jim Mertes, were misinformed of Monday’s petition deadline, Mertes said. Last Wednesday, the original Jan. 22 deadline had been changed to Jan. 23 because of paperwork, Callahan said.

Prospective candidates were notified of the date change; however, some SA members, including Senate Speaker John Fallon, were not.

Petitions will be accepted today until 1 p.m. because, “it is the only fair way to do it,” Callahan said.

A low voter turn out is expected due to lack of publicity, said SA Vice President Steve Coloia. He expects only 300 to vote.

However, publicity of a referendum should draw voters, said SA President Huda Scheidelman.

The referendum will ask students to support a one-dollar student fee per semester to fund a Martin Luther King Statue. The referendum allows direct student input, Scheidelman said.

If senate seats are still available after the election, a standing committee made up of the SA minority relations adviser, senate speaker and president will appoint senators.