By Zac Estrada, News Staff

Student Government Association (SGA) leaders said Northeastern’s student body presidential candidates’ strong similarities have caused low voter turnout and prompted an extension of the voting period through 11:59 p.m. tomorrow. This marks the third time in the last four years SGA has extended the voting period.

SGA requires 20 percent of the student body, or 3,170 votes, to certify the election between the association’s Executive Vice President Sean Maloney and Vice President of Academic Affairs Michael Sabo. As the original deadline of noon on Monday approached, fewer than 3,000 students voted. The 20 percent threshold was reached yesterday.

During a meeting late Sunday evening, the association’s elections committee approved a five-day extension of the voting period, allowed by the Direct Elections Manual.

“The candidates were not heated up enough to inspire people and get them voting online at stations,” Elections Committee Chair Olivia D’Angelo said. “We’ve done more internal promotion this year than last year. There was an air of tension last year compared to this year. The candidates had different platforms.”

Director of Communications Taylor Cotter said the quieter profile surrounding this year’s election may not have lured as many voters.

“We had a really controversial election last year,” she said. “There was a lot more publicity centered around the controversy last year.”

D’Angelo pegs voter turnout this year to be between 21 and 22 percent, down from 24 percent last year.

Working against SGA this year were three system outages last week that left students unable to vote.

“One of those instances was immediately after we sent our second campus-wide email,” D’Angelo said. “Anyone who tried to access then might have been discouraged.”

Sabo said his campaign’s efforts to knock on every door in residence halls was marred by technical difficulties.

“I’d be knocking on doors and myNEU would be down,” he said.

Both Sabo and Maloney reported some students who were apathetic to the entire election.

“They didn’t see the need to vote,” Maloney said. “It’s disappointing, but I respect their opinion.”

Sabo said he came across some voters who didn’t understand the responsibilities of student body president, something both candidates want to increase awareness of if elected.

“For the most part it isn’t a lack of interest,” Sabo said. “We can explain what a student body president does more.” He also wants to better target off-campus students.

But Maloney and Sabo believe the election went smoothly otherwise, with each coming out relatively unscathed.

Also on the ballot are two referenda measures, one to create a student representative position for the Board of Trustees. The second is to start direct elections for executive vice president.

D’Angelo said she does not yet know when results will be announced. The winner will likely be announced at SGA’s final meeting of the spring, 6:30 p.m. Monday in 305 Shillman.