Beginning today, students have an opportunity to pause between classes and decide on their representation.

The Student Association will hold its senate elections today and Wednesday.

Polling will take place in three locations: the Holmes Student Center, the Founders Memorial Library and DuSable Hall.

The polls will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on both days, said John Acardo, SA chief of staff. There are 56 candidates on the ballot to fill 40 senate seats.

“I know District 3 is highly contested,” Acardo said. There are five districts total. “It’s really great that people are getting involved.”

Acardo said he saw candidates chalking done at King Memorial Commons two weeks ago, but he has not seen much campaigning since then. He does expect to see more campaigning today, in the form of chalking and passing out handbills.

SA Senate Speaker Andrew Nelms said the “perennial problems” of senate elections are that many of the candidates are new and do not have name recognition.

The senate and senators are part of the legislative branch of the SA. They are responsible for voting on bills that can effect university policy and student life.

The election ends at 6 p.m. Wednesday and the first SA Senate meeting is Sunday.

This year marks the 36th senate year.