DeKALB | Campaigning began Wednesday for the 16 senator candidates who are running in the Student Association Senate special election.

If at any time the number of senate vacancies is less than half the total number, a special election shall immediately be called, according to the SA Constitution. The Senate is responsible for recognizing student organizations, allocating their funds and appointing members of the SA judicial branch, according to the SA constitution.

After the spring 2016 elections, the Senate had 22 senators, two more than quorum. However, four senators were removed because they failed to meet SA requirements and two more senators resigned.

“This is the first special election, but I am not worried because I have great faith in our board of elections,” SA Speaker Christine Wang said.

The special elections candidate application deadline was Aug. 21, and the first mandatory senate candidates meeting was Aug. 24.

SA Election Commissioner Jamilah Dodd said 27 students attended the meeting, and it’s purpose was to discuss policies, the election process and what is expected of senators such as representing NIU in a positive way.

Wang said there were 27 people who appeared at the first candidates meeting, which was a lower turnout than SA Senate had hoped for after the amount of work they put into advertising.

SA will be marketing the special elections through social media and posters, Wang said. Lark Lewis, SA director of public affairs, is assisting in the marketing process.

“Sixteen [candidates] is far more spots [than] we are trying to fill, so I think we’re in a good place right now,” Wang said.

Wang said she has been planning to enforce change for future election policies, but this special election will maintain the same process of last semester’s elections.

“There was a good mix of every class turning in applications,” Dodd said. “There weren’t more freshmen than sophomore or more sophomore than juniors or seniors and so forth.”

SA senate is not currently in session, but once they have enough senators, their main focus will be working on changing the election process, Wang said.

“As long as everyone abides by the rules the special elections should be smooth,” Dodd said.