As Associated Students Inc. elections draw to a close, students remain frustrated over the lack of information and public campaigning by candidates.

While 11 out of 14 positions remaining uncontested, presidential candidate Lauren Lombardo said the last time an ASI presidential candidate ran uncontested six years ago, almost every position had three candidates the following year.

“Student engagement sometimes appears in unexpected waves,” Lombardo said. “Next year it will be imperative to increase student engagement and the amount of students who are receptive to the message of being involved.”

Sophomore social work major Karla Lucatero said she knew about entertaining events at the dorms, such as the Block Party, but had no idea there were leadership clinics last fall advertising elections and getting involved.

“There should be more awareness about these kinds of things,” Lucatero said.

Most students remain aware of what ASI does for them, including some student volunteer staffers running the election booths.

“Certain people know what ASI, others just assume what they do, but no one really knows,” said election volunteer Anthony Uribe, freshman social science major. “I know one candidate and even then, I don’t know her very well.”

Nu Alpha Kappa President Leo Nambo attempted to run for ASI president last year under the LEAD Party, because they have not had a fraternity member in the student government since 2003.

Because a substantive amount of members from LEAD graduated, there are not enough members for a party opposing EXCEL to exist.

As of Wednesday afternoon, 6.5 percent of ASI’s membership body voted. ASI bylaws require a 5 percent voter turnout of the student population to make the election valid.

As part of the Club Challenge, Sac State campus organizations can submit an application to the ASI Government Office to be put on the annual election ballot.

Students in the corresponding clubs can receive $2 per vote for their organization by filling out the entire ballot, even if positions are uncontested.

Nambo said his fraternity benefits from the Club Challenge, because the extra money gives him more chances to host bowling nights, barbecues and other events for his brothers.

“It’s something we always utilize and always try to get our members to vote,” Nambo said.

In order to vote for those organizations, a voter must fill out the entire ballot, which could prompt a student to vote for the sake of that funding, not for choosing a desirable candidate.

Uribe said ASI would greatly benefit from more outreach effort aimed at first-year residents instead of having general events in the Union that students typically pass over.

“ASI should focus on trying to network with the first-year students,” Uribe said. “That would cause a ripple effect and get more people involved with student government.”

Martinez is aware of the diminished presence ASI has on campus and said she wants to be visible year-round instead of just during the election.

Some of the staff, like freshman biology major Erin Xyong said they know little, if any about ASI, volunteering because they knew the program offered some kind of leadership service. Others volunteered because they had time in between classes.

Uribe said the responsibility is on ASI to promote to and network with all types of students, not just campus residents.

“Sacramento State is a really big commuter school, so you have people come and leaving, not really staying and hanging around, so there’s so much more you should do with it,” Uribe said.