Taking a little more than an hour to tally, the votes are in and new Student Association senators have been elected.

A total of 682 students came out to vote over the two-day election period, with 347 votes on Wednesday to add to Tuesday’s 335.

There was a 3.1 percent margin of error, which includes the 21 students who decided to vote for everyone on the ballots.

DuSable Hall led with the most vote-getters, with the Holmes Student Center and Founders Memorial Library trailing.

“There were no problems,” SA elections commissioner Scott DuBay said. “It went very smooth, and the only thing was the turnout wasn’t as high as last year’s.”

DuBay attributed the low voter turnout to the lack of campaigning.

“More or less, students didn’t know what the candidates were about,” he said. “They didn’t want to vote blindly.”

There are five vacant senator spots, which can be filled by any student. Four of the open seats are in District 1, which is composed of students residing in Neptune Hall, Stevenson Towers and University Plaza. The other open seat is in District 5, which is composed of students residing in DeKalb east of the Kishwaukee River and outside the DeKalb city limits during the academic year.

To apply for appointment to one of the seats, call the SA at 753-0483 or visit the office at the Campus Life Building, Suite 180.

DuBay said he was running between voting posts to make sure no problems arose.

SA Vice President Jaime Garcia also thought the elections went without conflict.

“I feel it was a good way to start out the year as far as the SA goes,” he said. “It was a clean election.”

Sophomore communication major Crystal Hoppe was elected as one of the new senators for District 1.

“I’d like to see a bigger turnout,” she said. “I think not a lot of people knew about it.”

Hoppe thought that if there was more campaigning, more students would’ve voted.

She also discussed her platform, which included increasing employee payroll and finding opinions for the residence hall meal plan committee.

“I want to assist the board in their challenges and overall, the betterment of student life at NIU,” Hoppe said.

Hoppe also plans on attending other student organization meetings.

“I will try and attend other organization meetings so I can get the opinions of other organizations and represent them at the Senate,” she said.

New District 2 Senator Donna Dalton was glad upon hearing of her win.

“Being a freshman, I hope to get experience while having input,” she said.

Dalton will push for more parking for Barsema Hall and a bus route that would transport students late at night.