A special Campus Activities Board election was held Tuesday to replace a candidate removed by the university.

Marlon Haywood was elected president of Campus Activities Board on Tuesday. He defeated candidate Colleen Murphy.

Both candidates said they had utilized the special election as a second chance to participate in CAB next year.

“It was a last-minute decision on my part,” Murphy said. “The more and more I thought about it, I kind of decided this is something I kind of want to be here for.”

Haywood said he was considering running for CAB president next year, but that “it just came to me now. I am the person I’m waiting for, instead of waiting around for someone else to do it.”

He said he had previously applied for the vice president of Special Events and Concerts last year, a position filled by a three-year CAB veteran.

Haywood’s extensive resumé includes volunteer work at DeKalb area elementary and high schools, president of Phi Rho Eta fraternity, a position on the executive board of the Northern Black Choir, membership in Black Male Initiative and president of E.L.I.T.E., an organization that focuses on events and activities on campus.

Haywood said he would like to survey students to find out what the general population of NIU wants from CAB, and he would seek to increase funding through outside sources.

Lonnie Pollard, a former SA senator and previous president-elect of CAB, was removed from the position by university officials. A security concern may have been the reason for the dismissal.

According to Brian Hemphill, vice president of Student Affairs, certain positions held by student employees are deemed security-sensitive, requiring background checks. The CAB presidency is deemed a security-sensitive position.

Pollard’s opponent from the last election, Amanda Williams, was unable to run again because of her position as the election commissioner for the special election.

Seven students signed up for election packets, but Haywood and Murphy were the only students to turn them in. Each candidate was required to turn in 200 signatures in order to run.