The Undergraduate Student Government Senate's efforts to fill its ranks have fallen short as the USG Elections Commission received a decade-low 17 official senatorial applicants for 34 positions this year.

The turnout represents the lowest total since 26 students applied for 33 seats in 1985. The 50 students who applied for senatorial seats in 1987 represent the decade's highwater mark.

Only a quarter of the 28 senators who sit on the current senate applied for re-election. Many cited other commitments, explaining their senatorial duties consumed large amounts of time. Others said USG's advertising has been insufficient to rally student interest in the senate.

"I don't think this says a lot for USG," said Pollock Halls Senator Tara Webb, who is not running for re-election. Webb said she did not run for re-election because the $35 fee imposed for official candidacy is too steep and the deadline for registration falls too soon after spring break.

"I got a taste of the senate, and now it's time to move on," she said. "Other people can try their hands at it now."

East Halls Senator Kevin Moore, also not up for re-election, agreed with Webb that his senatorial duties were too time consuming and said internal bickering in the group drove him to distraction.

"I just don't want the heartaches . . . we fight over the slightest things," he said.

No students registered for candidacy in three of 10 areas -- North Halls, East Halls II and fraternity area. Only four students applied for candidacy in town area, which has 17 vacancies, and only one applied in three other areas: Centre, East I and East III.

West Halls, with five candidates for two spots, and South Halls, with three candidates for two spots, are the only areas where candidates who declared will not be elected automatically.

"I think the students are uninformed . . . actually, some of the senators are uninformed," said South Halls Senator Bobby Zoldos, who is one of eight candidates who will fight for four slots in South and West halls. Zoldos said the precipitous drop in turnout from last year to this year can be attributed to this year's USG Elections Commission's refusal to extend the deadline for senate applications.

"Last year they extended the deadline to Wednesday after spring break (rather than Monday, as it was this year)," he said.

Elections Commissioner Bill Bailey said last year's deadline was extended primarily to accommodate a write-in presidential ticket, not to increase the number of senate applicants.

South Halls Senator Brad Haartz said extending the deadline for senate applications would not have had a significant effect on the number of candidates. Haartz said he could not explain why applications dropped so significantly, saying the advertising was better this year than last.

"(The poor turnout) is just a continuing showing of what poor public relations USG has with the undergraduate students here," said town Senator Ken Hinkle, another senator who will step down after this term. "I think the senate has done a lot . . . but we need to work as a group and get things done."

Hinkle, who said he would accept a position on the senate if written in, did not run for re-election because "I originally decided I would work in some other aspect (of USG)."

Bailey echoed Haartz's comments, saying the elections were advertised "like never before" in the months leading up to the election. As for the deadline just after Spring Break, Bailey said, "It's in the USG constitution."

"We have an elections code and a constitution," Bailey said. "Let's abide by it."

Because of the lack of applicants, write-in candidates will win many positions, Bailey said, adding, "That is not necessarily bad."

Thirty-nine students took packets from the USG Elections Commission to begin the application process, but only 16 returned the completed forms to the commission by the March 6 deadline set for candidates who wished to be on the ballot. One candidate became an official write-in candidate by returning the completed forms before March 14. Official write-in candidates are listed in the USG voter's guide but are not included on the ballot.