Five vacancies in the Student Association senate will be filled by a Jan. 28 election, in which students still have the opportunity to compete.

One on-campus position and four off-campus positions are vacant.

Candidates can pick up “Senate Candidate Packets,” which include petition materials, in the SA office. Candidates must gather 100 signatures from eligible voters (registered NIU students) before being named on the ballot.

The petitions need to be returned to the SA office by Jan. 26 at 4:30 p.m.

The packets also include the guidelines, the SA Election Commission and Bylaws, which interested students are required to follow.

SA Vice President Cam Davis said candidates running for senatorial seats must be NIU fee-paying students in good academic standing.

Candidates also must agree to allow the SA access to their university records.

Davis said candidates need to pick up an excerpt from the SA bylaws concerning campaigning rules and procedures.

Candidates are required to attend an informational meeting, led by SA Elections Commission Doug Moore, on Jan. 26 at 8 p.m. in the SA conference room.

Candidates will be presented the “Bible on Campaigning” at the meeting. The “bible” prohibits candidates from such violations as posting materials without University Programming and Activities permission or campaigning in Huskie buses during elections.

Students vote for those candidates who live in their district: on-campus or off-campus. Candidates must obtain petition signatures only from students living within their district.

SA Public Relations Adviser Paula Radtke said fall elections decide an entirely new senate, and spring elections fill seats left vacant by resigned senators.

Davis said the turnover of senators from fall semester to spring semester is consistent with past years. He said January elections are held yearly to fill between five and eight open positions on the senate.

Davis said any registered NIU student is eligible to vote. Students are required to present an NIU student ID and a class schedule.

He said the January election usually has a lower voter turnout because there is a smaller number of candidates running. Last fall, about 67 candidates ran to fill the senate’s 48 seats.

Davis said he does not have a figure on the number of students running for the five seats.

Voting polls will be open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the Holmes Student Center near the Pow Wow Room.