Aaron Black

Two candidates will face off for the position of ASUA president in a race to lead next year's student government.

Two people are also vying for each of the two vice presidential spots of the Associated Students of the University of Arizona. Twenty students are competing for the 10 senatorial positions.

Aaron Black, a political science junior, will face ASUA Sen. Doug Hartz, a biochemistry and finance senior, in the battle for president.

Black, a Phoenix native, was president at Brophy College Preparatory School for two years and also spent two years as a senator there. He has no previous experience in ASUA.

He is currently the fund-raising officer for the rugby team. This is his second year holding an office for his team.

"I am pretty excited because it is my first time running in these elections," Black said.

Doug Hartz ASUA Sen.

His opponent, Hartz, who hails from Flagstaff, has been an ASUA senator for the last year but never served in student government in high school.

Hartz is also serving his second year as a resident assistant in Coronado Residence Hall.

"I am excited so many senators are running," Hartz said. "It looks like an exciting election, and hopefully, a lot of people will turn out to vote."

Jennifer Reece, a biochemistry senior, and Wailele Sallas, a journalism senior, are running for the office of executive vice president.

The position of administrative vice president will be decided between ASUA Sen. Jered Mansell, political science senior, and Samantha Zipp, psychology senior.

Under the ASUA Elections Code, two candidates are allowed to participate in the general election for each executive position, and 20 candidates are allowed in the senatorial race.

Normally, the primary election would cut the field down to these numbers, but since the number of candidates matches with the guidelines, no one will be eliminated after the Feb. 23 and 24 primary.

"It is a good way to get the word out for students and elections," said Joe Rogers, ASUA elections commissioner. "It's good for candidates to judge how they are doing. It shows them what they are doing right and what they are doing wrong, what they need to do to get their numbers up."

Rogers said it would not cost anything to run the primary because the election is done entirely by computer, so paper ballots do not have to be printed.

The winners will be decided in the March 6 and 7 general election.

An online polling station with 12 computers will be set up between the Student Union Memorial Center and the Second Street Parking Garage during both elections.

The station was originally planned to be located on the Mall but was moved because the Mall lacks an ethernet connection.

Rogers also said the newly created ASUA position of marketing director has helped broaden awareness of elections and resulted in an increase in the number of students running for senate.

Last year, 15 students ran for senate positions compared to 20 for this election.

A candidate forum for the primary election will take place Feb. 20 on the Mall at noon, and a presidential debate in anticipation of the general election will be held March 5 on the Mall at noon.