Campaign season on the West Virginia University campus will get under way Saturday, Feb. 15, the first day candidates are allowed to begin competing for seats on the Board of Governors’Student Government Association. For the first time, students will do their voting online.

According to Student Elections Chairperson Michael Gustman, new online voting procedures, announced during a recent SGA Board of Governors meeting, are expected to increase student participation dramatically.

“We are really excited about this change,”he said.”I think it will really help the election process because it will be easier and more convenient for students to learn about the candidates as well as to participate in voting.”

During this years election, students can vote beginning at 7 a.m. Feb. 25 by logging on to their MIX accounts, where a link will lead them to the voting page, complete with ballots and profiles of the candidates.

The site,www.votenet.com,will host the election, Gustman added.

As in past years, students will vie for the SGA presidency and vice presidency positions, along with 15 Board of Governors seats and two Athletic Council positions.

Each candidates eligibility will be determined after a review of all the candidate packets, which includes biographical information, grade-point averages and brief platform statements, he noted.

The last day for students to turn in packets, available in the Student Organization Wing, is Tuesday, Feb. 11.

Later, candidates meeting the criteria will be available to meet with students at booths set up in the Mountainlair Commons Area from Monday, Feb. 17-Friday, Feb. 21.

On Tuesday, Feb. 18, the candidates will hold a 9 p.m. debate in the Towers Gold Ballroom in the basement of the Evansdale Residential Complex. A second candidate debate will be held from 9-10:30 p.m. during Up All Night activities in the Mountainlair on Thursday, Feb. 20.

Outdoor space will be reserved in the brick area in front of the Mountainlair Feb. 25-27 for candidates to meet students and discuss their platforms, Gustman said.

Election results will be announced at approximately 10:45 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 27, during Up All Night activities in the Mountainlair, he added.

An SGA inaugural banquet will be held later in March at the Erickson Alumni Center.