SGB seeks late candidates, Brown, Tanjaya declare presidential run

There are now two presidential candidates for next year’s Student Government Board — current board members Albert Tanjaya and Zechariah Brown. But due to a low number of sign-ups for the remaining spots on the board, SGB is encouraging students to pursue a late candidacy option.

As of Thursday, there are only seven candidates running for eight board member slots. SGB’s Elections Committee allows students to turn in candidacy packets until Feb. 5, in accordance with the late candidacy option described in the board’s Elections Code.

The deadline has already been extended once. The packets were originally due Tuesday, but according to committee chair Katie McLaughlin, the deadline was changed to Thursday due to concerns about days lost due to weather and Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Eleven potential board candidates signed out packets, but only seven returned them with the requisite 200 signatures. McLaughlin said the other four students contacted her to explain the reasons they chose not to pursue a run, citing unexpected other opportunities or concerns about the time commitment required.

Students turning in packets late will have to collect 400 signatures for a board run and 500 for a presidential run, along with a statement of no more than 500 words explaining why they want to pursue a seat.

“I’ve had a few people reach out to me interested in late candidacy,” McLaughlin said. “So hopefully, it’ll work out.”

Brown and Tanjaya, both juniors, ran for board together on the “582 Bridges” slate last winter. They have collaborated frequently on SGB projects over the course of the year, taking the lead on organizing several “Eat and Greet” events.

[Read: SGB closes in on election season]

The seven candidates for board include sophomores Eric Macadangdang, who chairs the SGB Wellness Committee, and Caroline Unger, who chairs the Facilities, Technology and Transportation Committee. The other candidates include the following students: Scott Glaser, an English literature, global studies and political science major; Anais Peterson, an urban studies major; Aman Reddy, a microbiology and chemistry major; Sean Steinle, an anthropology and linguistics major, and Victoria Tappan, a communication, political science and global studies major.

Correction: An earlier version of this article said SGB extended its election filing deadline. SGB is advertising a late candidacy option, detailed in its Elections Code.