The Institute of Politics (IOP) began its first democratic election process last night, taking the first official steps towards implementing the structure of the IOP envisioned by its director, Sen. David Pryor.

Students who are elected in a vote that ends 6 p.m. today will serve in their positions for one semester. Results will be announced tomorrow morning.

Elections are being held for committee chairs, president of the student governing board and members of the director's task force. Students elected to the director's task force will work with appointed staff and former Student Advisory Committee (SAC) members to decide a permanent structure for the IOP.

All students who have attended at least one half of a committee's meetings this semester are eligible to vote for that committee's chair. Students who were members of SAC when it was disbanded, senior associates of the IOP and all students who are eligible to vote for at least one committee chair position are eligible to vote for the president and the spots on the director's task force.

Although former members of SAC had opposed the current election process, citing concerns that the campaign might lead to bitter personal attacks, the speeches that the candidates delivered last night were informal and friendly.

"I think it seemed very open and sincere," said Catherine McLaughlin, executive director of the IOP. "Students spoke about what they really thought and hoped for."

Seven candidates ran unopposed, five for chairs of the IOP's six committees, and two for positions on the director's task force. The task force will contain two first-years, two sophomores and two juniors in addition to members of the IOP staff and several SAC chairs who have graduated in the past.

The races for the first-year and sophomore slots were the most competitive. All students running for those positions gave two-minute speeches to the roughly 40 students in attendance.