The Student Government Association moved candidate registration online to ease the sign-up process for their upcoming spring 2018 election.

The election sign-up form asks for basic information about the potential candidate and requires they gather 50 signatures from enrolled undergraduate students. Any person wanting to run for an elected position such as Executive President, Executive Vice President, or any senator position, must fill out the form.

The form is due on March 3 by 12 p.m. to the Office of Campus Life. Eligible candidates are allowed to begin campaigning on March 14. Polls open online on March 28 at 12 a.m. and the Emerson community will be notified of the results on March 30.    

Along with the online form, potential candidates now have the option to collect signatures via individual EmConnect events. EmConnect lets students browse SGA-recognized organizations and view their events and contact information. Potential candidates will be given a shareable event-link on the site, where RSVPs count as endorsements.

Potential candidates can still fill out a physical document and collect signatures in person.

Executive Treasurer Ian Mandt said to determine eligibility, SGA creates EmConnect events for the candidates to verify eligibility and prevent signature fraud.  

SGA Advisor Sharon Duffy and Chief Justice Lizzie Northey are the only two SGA members with access to the list of potential candidates. They revise the potential candidate’s EmConnect events or paperwork and determine eligibility.

“[Duffy and Northey] determine who is eligible based on student conduct, academic standing, and things like that,” Mandt said.

Coupled with the new online signup process, Mandt said SGA also explored the idea of voting on EmConnect. However, voting will continue to take place on eCommon because the platform offers candidate profile pictures and statements which are unavailable on EmConnect.

SGA conducted a trial election among themselves on EmConnect during the week of Feb. 13 to determine if the website was suitable for voting.

“The trial worked great, it’s just … as of right now we don’t have a solid way of doing the profile picture and candidate statement,” Mandt said. “But [EmConnect is] a potential for the future.”