*Correction Mar. 20, Ashley Schmidt is an anthropology major not a public administration major.*

By Peter Castillo and Dylan Bryant

Runner Staff

CSU Bakersfield students have little choice as voting for Associated Students, Inc. opens today and all five executive positions are running unopposed.

Ashley Schmidt, an anthropology major, is running for president of ASI. She is currently serving on ASI as the chair of the board and has been on ASI for three years. She also is a member of the Gamma Phi Beta sorority and other honor and pre-law societies.

“I want to know why,” said Schmidt on running unopposed. “I would love for students to come to ASI and tell us what we can do to get students interested in the running.”

Alejandra Lopez is the lone candidate for executive vice president.

She is a double major in public administration and Spanish. She is currently studying abroad in Spain and plans to return to CSUB following this semester. She has also previously served on ASI.

“One issue I would like to address while in office is the lack of communication that some schools or campus communities have with our ASI,” said Lopez in an email questionnaire.

The candidate for Vice President of Campus Life is Aaron Wan.

He is a sophomore currently serving as the director of the L.E.A.D. Program on ASI. He is also a member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity.

Christopher Smith, a senior who currently serves a student manager on duty at the Student Recreation Center, is running for vice president of finance. He has no prior experience of serving on ASI.

Jose Garcia, a senior majoring in public policy and administration, is the candidate for vice president of university affairs.

Garcia currently serves as the director of sustainability on ASI. He is also a member of the Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity.

“I plan to start a Lobby Corps at CSUB that has students advocating and lobbying for CSUB on issues that affect students and higher education,” said Garcia in an email.

This is the second consecutive year in which the president and executive vice president are running unopposed.

Executive vice president of university affairs also ran unopposed last year.

There are also 10 director positions that are also being run for. However, there are only two positions that are not unopposed, director of clubs and organizations outreach, and director of marketing.

Ten of the director seats are left vacant. However, they may be filled by an appointed student.

Jaidyn Conner, who is currently the director of clubs and organizations outreach is running for re-election. She is opposing George Corral.

Joselito Flores and Morayo Olujumu are the candidates for director of marketing.

Voter turnout has spiraled in recent years.

After 24 percent of students voted in 2014, only 7.5 percent of students voted in last year’s elections.

Daniel Auyon, a senior in accounting, says apathy is the cause of the uncontested elections.

“No one cares. They come here and they go,” Auyon said. “There’s not really like a student life here… the information is there, if you’re really interested in it i think you should go out for it. They’ll give you the information.”

Students in executive positions on ASI have their tuition paid for the duration of their term, priority registration and receive a parking pass.

Executives are also required to serve 10 office hours per week.

Students in director positions will also receive priority registration and a parking pass as well.

Directors also must serve four office hours per week.

Jalise Steger, a senior human biology major, thinks more students would run if they were aware of the benefits that come with ASI.

“I think they would definitely run,” said Steger. “No one knows, if they knew about it, I feel like a lot of people would run for it.”

Steger also added that she thinks ASI should do a better job promoting the filing period for the elections.

Voting opened today at 8 a.m. and concludes tomorrow at 11:59 p.m. The results are expected to be announced on Friday, March 23.

Students are able to vote through RunnerSync, which is available through the CSUB website.

Photos courtesy of Jason Watkins/ ASI Election Coordinator