While Wednesday’s snowstorm draped the campus and hindered attendance at the Government of the Student Body meeting, it didn’t stop the senate from taking care of business.

In preparation for the upcoming GSB elections, the senate voted 24-0-1 to adopt the election code.

Prior to discussion on the election code, a bill was debated that would have changed the number of petition signatures necessary to earn a spot on the president/vice president ballot.

Currently, slates for president and vice president must obtain 2,000 signatures of registered ISU students. The bill would have decreased that number to 1,500 students, amending the election code as well as the GSB bylaws.

“It takes 2,000 signatures to get on the ballot for governor of the state of Iowa,” pointed out Steve Skutnik, LAS.

GSB President Matt Craft threw his support to the bill, adding that the time spent collecting 2,000 signatures could be better put toward campaigning purposes.

“This would free up more time,” Craft said. “You still have to put in time and work, and 1,500 [signatures] still proves you have enough support.”

In addition to clearing time for campaigning purposes, lowering the number of required signatures would ideally eliminate candidates who are not apt to take the position seriously.

“This would still discourage the joker candidate,” Craft said. “It is really difficult to go beyond 1,500 signatures.”

An amendment was proposed to make another cut at the number of required signatures for the president/vice president slate ballot, lowering the number to 1,000.

“Why 1,500?” asked Jonathon Weaver, TRA. “A thousand will still get rid of all the weirdos, and it is still a good number to get.”

Weaver added that a lower number would attract additional candidates and free more time for the candidates.

However, the amendment, as well as the bill, was shot down.

“I don’t think more people are going to run [because of fewer required signatures],” said Luke DeKoster, RCA. “If you are going to run, you are going to run.”

Because the change would entail a change in the bylaws, the bill required a two-thirds the approval to pass. Although the vote was in favor of approval, the bill failed because the two-thirds majority was not met.

Students interested in running for a GSB position must attend a candidate seminar. Seminars will be held Jan. 25 at noon, Jan. 26 at 6 p.m. and Jan. 27 at 11 a.m. The seminars will be in the Regency Room of the Memorial Union.