The deadline to declare candidacy for the Yale College Council executive board elections has been postponed 48 hours, the council announced to its candidates on Thursday night.
Candidates were initially asked to turn in their candidacy statements and 100 signatures of support by Thursday at 4 p.m. But at a Thursday night candidates’ meeting, YCC President John Gonzalez ’14 told students they may now enter the elections until Saturday at 4 p.m. The YCC elections committee and current executive board decided to postpone the deadline to declare candidacy because the races for “some” of the six executive board positions were uncontested as of Thursday afternoon, according to a campus-wide email sent on Thursday by the YCC.
Gonzalez said he thinks several of the races are uncontested because the candidates who filed candidacy prior to Thursday’s official deadline — before which candidates cannot technically campaign — have established significant support among students.
“People really like the candidates that are running,” he said, “and they’ve already been able to galvanize support.”
Gonzalez added he is not sure whether the extended deadline will prompt more students to enter the races.
Elizabeth Henry ’14, chair of the YCC Elections Committee, did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
Two candidates present at the mandatory candidates’ meeting on Thursday night said they were told “technical issues” related to submission of statements on Yale Station caused the postponement. According to the YCC email, candidates must submit their candidacy statements on Yale Station before the elections’ deadline, as outlined in the elections packet.
The YCC executive board elections will take place on April 11 and 12, so the new deadline will shorten the campaigning period by two days because candidates cannot officially begin campaigning until all candidates have declared that they are running. But four YCC members interviewed said they do not think the shorter time frame will affect campaign activity.
YCC member Ben Ackerman ’16 said he hopes students running for a position will heighten their efforts to reach out to students in the condensed campaign period.
“I hope that the shorter campaigning period next week encourages students to participate more,” Ackerman said. “The shorter campaigning period might result in more concise and fresher versions of people’s campaigns.”
The six YCC executive board positions up for election are president, vice president, treasurer, secretary, events director and Undergraduate Organizations Committee chair.