*Correction: An earlier version of this story held there are no nominees for class president, which is incorrect. There is one nominee, Kayla Churchill. Her platform is visible with the others on the SGA website. 

The ballot for UNC Wilmington’s student government is looking empty this year.

Three senator positions will be vacant over the summer because no one is running for them. The only options on the online ballot, which closes Thursday at 5 p.m., are to write in a student’s name or abstain.

Getting students to run for SGA positions isn’t a new problem, according to Keith Fraser, president of the SGA. This past year, 42 out of 45 positions were filled, he said. But in the past, turnout has been unpredictable.

“Being in SGA since I was a freshman, I’ve never seen the table that full,” Fraser said.

Fraser explained many students already involved in SGA applied for executive board positions like his, which are appointed, or senator-at-large positions. The SGA will need to recruit outside of its members to fill the vacancies.

“We had over 4000 views for our videos in the first 72 hours (for promoting the election), Fraser said. “But all the promotional efforts have been towards voter turnout, not for candidates.”

This year marks the first in UNCW’s history to have specific student populations represented in student government. In fall of 2012 the senate passed a bill to add a nontraditional senator, an international students senator and a graduate student senator to the mix after several student groups pushed for better representation. Although these new positions are on the ballot and are currently filled, no one has applied for them in the fall.  

The application process for all three positions will reopen after elections.

“It then becomes the responsibility of the vice president to find qualified candidates to fill the seats,” Fraser said.

Over the summer, the SGA will market the positions to get more students to apply, specifically for senior class president. SGA is relying on the Graduate Student Association, the International Student Association and The Perch, UNCW’s nontraditional student group, to pick someone to represent them.   

“They have their own process,” Fraser said.

The SGA will review candidates in the summer. There won’t be another popular vote for these positions. Instead, the decision will be left to the newly elected senate in the fall. The candidate with the majority vote wins.

Although this process enables the SGA to fill the vacancies, the student body will be left out of the decision. For example, nontraditional students that aren’t involved with The Perch might not have a voice in who represents them.

“It’s always been a big debate,” Fraser said. “Is it fair that these special populations get a vote and the rest of the student body doesn’t?”

The application process will be the same-an application packet must be completed, and students must be in good standing with the university, academically and otherwise.

According to Fraser, filling these positions will be the SGA’s first priority after elections. Typically, vacant positions are filled by late September, he said.

Whoever will be vice president next year will be responsible for making sure UNCW has a full legislative body.