Chief Returning Officer Patti Teeuwen's job just got a whole lot busier with the closing of nominations for the Students' Union General Election.

In total, 37 students submitted nomination forms to run for the elections on Mar. 15-17, according to an unofficial candidates list. The list becomes official on Friday at noon, but until then, openings are still available in the Academic Commission and Operations and Finance Commission.

"If [these commissions] don't have the minimum four positions filled, then they will open up again [Thursday], then again Friday, then that's it," said Teeuwen.

Two important executive positions have already been decided, as only one person in each race submitted nomination forms in time. Matthew Lauzon will be the new Vice-president Operations and Finance, and Duncan Wojtaszek was acclaimed the incoming VP External.

"I was well prepared for an election campaign and confident that I could have won any race that had transpired," said Lauzon. "I am still a strong advocate for students and understand my commitment to represent them, despite the fact that I was acclaimed."

"I'm excited, and a little bit relieved, but I was very much looking forward to the race," said Wojtaszek shortly after finding out that he was acclaimed. "I still plan to use the next two weeks to reach out to students and make sure they're informed about me and my ideas." Wojtaszek received a double-dose of good news, simultaneously learning that his wife, Michelle McCann, was also acclaimed to the Student Academic Assembly as Social Sciences Representative.

Acclamations notwithstanding, students will vote for the SU President, VP Academic, VP Events, the External Commission, as well as the Senate, where a large pool of five candidates are vying for two positions.

There will also be three plebiscite questions on the Health and Dental plan, stemming from an SU survey of students last Fall, as well as a referendum question regarding a proposed fee increase for students in the Faculty of Management.

"It was my responsibility to bring this forward," said VP Academic Heather Clitheroe about the Management referendum, which asks students to vote on an endowment fee funded by only Management students. Clitheroe was first approached by the Endowment Fund Committee in the summer to put this question on the ballot.

"Because it's a levy question, it has to be asked to everyone," said Clitheroe, explaining why all students will vote, rather than just the affected faculty. "Also, a lot of students are in pre-Management."