By Tori West

The deadline to apply for March’s 2014 Associated Students Inc. elections is Friday.

To qualify for the ballot, students must accumulate 25 valid signatures on a petition to run as a senatorial candidate and 50 to run as an executive board candidate.

ASI positions are broken up into three categories – four executive positions, eight senators of college and schools and seven senators at-large.

Executive Branch

People serving in the executive branch are expected to work for ASI at least 20 hours per week and “Serve as the primary liaison between the students and the university,” according to ASI’s website.

Members of the executive branch receive a monthly stipend for their work.

The positions in the executive branch include ASI president, vice president of finance and vice president of external affairs. The executive vice president is also a member of the executive branch. Unlike the other positions, the executive vice president is elected as a senator at-large then appointed to the position.

Justin Whisten, who was previously the Senator of Athletics and Recreation, was appointed as the organizations executive vice president early this semester after Candice Amico resigned. This is his final semester at Fresno State.

At least two candidates have already announced their intention to run for the office of ASI president. Current ASI President Moses Menchaca will seek re-election against senator at-large Jared Bertoni.

Menchaca won the 2013 ASI presidential elections receiving 47 percent of the vote, with the two other candidates in the race splitting the other votes.

Senators

There are eight senators who each represent their respective schools within Fresno State. In addition, there are seven senators at-large who are appointed to represent specific areas of interest on campus, such as Greek affairs or parking and safety.

Daniel Ward, senator of Academic Affairs, received the most votes of any of the senator at-large candidates in the 2013 election. He will be graduating this year.

“I have been involved with a lot of organizations that have been rewarding,” Ward said. “I wanted to serve my last year on a nation-wide student government. I’ve always admired ASI and I’m glad that I got to be apart of it.”

While there are only seven senators at-large, eight are elected. One of the elected senators at-large will be appointed as the executive vice president.

Candidates who successfully submit a completed petition to run for office are required to attend the all candidates’ meeting on Feb. 19 at 6 p.m.

The elections will begin at 9 a.m. Tuesday, March 25 at and conclude at noon on March 27.

Petitions to run are still available in the University Student Union Room 306.