Alongside the many faces of Associated Student Inc.’s latest campaign signs was a chalk-written message etched onto the quad’s pavement urging passersby to get involved.

An unidentified person wrote “many of them are unopposed. Why CSUS?” The reaction is to the March 19 release of the ASI candidate list that revealed every executive board member position is uncontested and two position completely vacant.

ASI President Nielsen Gabriel said in the four elections he has seen, this has never happened.

“There’s always been one or two but never to this extent,” Gabriel said. “And it’s sad because now voters don’t really have a choice.”

The application process to run for candidacy has officially closed. Unless an unopposed candidate has been disqualified, they will take office. Despite this, elections will continue.

The latest news has created an obstacle for ASI board members who have been expecting a higher voter turnout than last year’s record 14 percent.

Director of Social Sciences and Interdisciplinary Students Lauren Lombardo is the only candidate running for presidency, but said she is continuing to campaign with hopes of encouraging student involvement.

“It does not mean that I’ve already won,” Lombardo said. “The only thing this means is that it’s going to be hard to get a higher turnout, and we need students to come out to vote because we need to hear their feedback and get them more involved in the process.”

Lombardo said if students do not come out and show support in the elections, ASI cannot communicate with students about what it wants to do, meaning next year’s board will not be able to do much in terms of advancing Sac State’s success and achievement.

In an attempt to inspire voters, ASI still set up signs in the quad, familiarizing students with the faces of candidates as it has for many years. The club challenge, a contest that rewards a sum of money to whichever on campus organization has the most voters, will continue as well.

Unsure of why the candidate list is so short , Lombardo said she hopes this will never happen again in future elections.

“We just want students to know where their money is going and who is representing them,” Lombardo said.

Currently, Sac State students pay a $63 fee each semester for ASI, with a $1 increase planned for next year.

Despite the lack of competition, all candidates must still go through the electoral process.

The only positions open for voters are the director of engineering and computer science and the director of social sciences and interdisciplinary studies. Both the director of health and human services and the director of education do not have candidates.

As far as filling vacant positions, the incoming president will have to conduct a search and find applicants. Once appointed, they will be granted approval from the Board of Directors.

“It has a different dynamic in that you’re no longer able to say ‘I was elected into my position,” Gabriel said.