After two weeks of campaigning, the polls opened Monday at 9 a.m. for the Government of the Student Body elections.

Iowa State students can cast their votes until 8 p.m. Wednesday for GSB president and vice president, and each student can vote for two senate positions.

Early Monday morning, poll workers at the library and Durham Center were optimistic about voter turnout.

“I think it should be better than it has been [in past years],” said Jason Teeter, member of the GSB election commission and junior in biology.

Teeter ran the polls in the library Monday morning and said the election commission’s efforts to publicize the elections should result in a better turnout than previous years.

“We’ve done a good job advertising it,” he said.

Teeter said he is prepared for any problems that may arise in the polling process.

“There might be a few glitches here and there because there always is, but it should run smoothly,” he said.

The elections provide students with a good opportunity to do something about the apathy surrounding GSB, Teeter said.

“If they want their voice heard, they should vote,” he said. “People that don’t vote shouldn’t be complaining.”

Vicki Dedic, senior in finance, was running the polling booth in the Durham Center Monday morning. She said she expected voter turnout to be good despite the inclement weather.

“I think it should go pretty well,” she said. “There are a lot of signs posted around campus outlining polling places, times and other information.”

The convenient locations should provide a boost in the number of voters, Dedic said.

“All of the polling places are located in pretty good places with a lot of traffic, so I think it should be a pretty good turnout,” she said.

Dedic said things were going well soon after the polls were opened.

“As of 10 this morning, there was a pretty good turnout,” she said.

GSB Election Commissioner Tracy Harling also said she was optimistic about voter turnout.

“I hope the snow doesn’t decrease the turnout today,” she said Monday morning. “I also hope that we get as many people as we can out to vote.”

Harling said she hopes the elections will allay fears of rising student apathy toward GSB.

“We are trying to be positive, and we hope it will actually increase voter turnout,” she said. “We are also hoping that we can have people be more active voters and look into issues a little more.”

Other factors also should increase voter turnout at this year’s elections, Harling said.

“We think it will be a higher turnout this year due to the publicity of the ‘None of the Above’ campaign,” she said. “What it is is an option giving people the chance to write ‘none of the above’ on their ballots. We are hoping people will react positively to that.”

Harling also agreed that the convenience of the polling locations should increase turnout.

“I would think the [Memorial Union] would have a big turnout and probably the library, too,” she said.

Polls are open today in the MU from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and in Ross Hall, the Durham Center and Carver Hall from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, students can vote at the same four locations and times and also at the library from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.