DeKalb | Seven students were appointed as members of the Board of Elections during a special senate meeting.

The meeting, which was held on Sunday, was called by SA President Giuseppe LaGioia in order to prepare for the special election that will be held during the beginning of the semester.

“If at any time the number of vacant seats in the senate shall reach one less than half of the total number, then a special election shall immediately be called for all vacant senate seats,” according to SA’s constitution.

The number of SA senators fell to 15, which is below the quorum of 20, after five senators resigned and four failed to meet requirements.

SA Senate Speaker Christine Wang said she is taking steps to avoid low senator turnout in the future.

“This year, there will be a number of other senate workshops that will be mandatory for senators,” Wang said. “I think that’s how you keep people in; it’s not the short term stuff. It’s more of what you get out of it.”

The election will allow for up to 25 electees, Wang said.

In addition to the appointment of board members, Jamilah Dodd, senior corporate communications major, was appointed as election commissioner. Dodd served as the deputy election commissioner during the spring 2016 elections.

“My overall goal is to make sure that everything flows smoothly during the election period,” Dodd said. “No slip-ups or anything like that.”

Dodd chose Kevin Gorden, first-year graduate sports management major, as her deputy election commission. Gorden served as commissioner during the spring 2016 election, and Dodd wanted to appoint someone whom she had worked with before.

Regularly scheduled SA senate meetings take place at 5 p.m. every Sunday in the Holmes Student Center, Sky Room, beginning on Sept. 18. To run in the special election, students must attend a candidate’s meeting and submit a candidate packet on HuskieLink by 4:30 p.m. on Aug. 31. Email Wang at [email protected] for more information on SA Senate.