The annual campaign for seats in the GUSA Assembly began early yesterday morning, with the election set to take place April 12.

Nine rising sophomores, five rising juniors and three rising seniors are seeking election to the four seats each of their respective classes holds in the assembly. The incoming class of 2009 will elect its representatives in October.

The field of candidates includes many students not currently involved in the Student Association. Of 11 eligible incumbent representatives, only four are seeking reelection.

GUSA President Pravin Rajan (SFS ’07) said he was not discouraged by the low number of incumbent candidates and said he looks forward to working with the newly elected assembly in the coming year.

Campaigning for assembly elections is traditionally far less intense than it is for executive elections. The three candidates in the class of 2006 will win their seats by default and are not expected to campaign at all. The fourth seat will be filled by a write-in vote.

Among rising sophomores and juniors, no single issue or theme has emerged to dominate the campaign. Candidates are choosing instead to focus on personal achievements and attributes to win votes.

“My goal is to effectively harness the potential we, as a class, have for change here at Georgetown,” candidate Charlie Harrington (COL ’08) said. He cited improvements in the housing selection process and dining services as his chief priorities.

“I’d like to help create more of a sense of school spirit and community within our class,” Joe Letzelter (COL ’08), another candidate, said. He said that he hoped to secure better equipment for Yates Field House and improve GUTS bus schedules.

Candidates more familiar with the internal structure of GUSA have made reforming the Student Association itself an issue. The role and effectiveness of the assembly have recently been called into question as reform proposals have surfaced.

“Presently, the assembly lacks the means necessary to turn student vision into action,” Ed Duffy (SFS ’07), the only current sophomore representative seeking reelection, said. “I hope to help bring about reform that will give the assembly a greater role in GUSA’s operations.”

“As the new administration sets out to accomplish massive structural change, GUSA as an organization must get its real message out,” freshman representative Twister Murchison (SFS ’08) said. “We are not here to grandstand, but to serve.”

The election also features a combined ticket. Rising juniors Khalil Hibri (MSB ’07), Julia de Araujo (SFS ’07), and Salik Ishtiaq (SFS ’07) will appear separately on the ballot, but are joined in one campaign.

The assembly elections will provide another test of the new election bylaws approved by the assembly earlier this year.

Rajan said that he does not expect to endorse any candidates.

Past GUSA spring representative elections have not attracted widespread student interest. Rajan said that GUSA is focused on a long-term restructuring project in order to create a more powerful assembly and cultivate greater student interest.