Students running in the Missouri Students Association presidential race will file election documents with the Board of Election Commissioners on Thursday between 1 and 5 p.m.

To file, slates must obtain 500 signatures from students. The BEC verifies all signatures using students’ pawprints to ensure that all are students of the university. If some signatures are found not to be students, slates can submit makeup signatures by Feb. 13, the start of the official campaign period.

This is the first official election that will be held during the spring semester. A referendum last year permanently moved the election after former President-elect Haden Gomez and running mate Chris Hanner resigned the night of their inauguration. Otherwise, current President Sean Earl and Vice President Tori Schafer would have had to serve an extra long or short term.

The campaign period lasts until the beginning of the election, March 6. The election will last three days, the winner being announced March 8 after the polls close at 5 p.m.