The Associated Students of the University of Arizona held a public forum Wednesday for the three candidates running for a Senate seat in the upcoming special elections.

Senators questioned Hannah Sager, Mike Mazzella and Ashley Olson about each of their platforms, as well as how they plan to solve issues that may arise from student body concerns.

Sager, a pre-business sophomore, said she hopes to implement an online scheduling system for various campus health areas, such as Urgent Care or the Women’s Health Center.

During her freshman year, Sager experienced health problems that forced her to spend unnecessary time at Campus Health Services.

Her health platform will help students with these issues as well, she said.

“I know it’s a giant job and they’re doing the best they can. Any improvement that I can make would be a good improvement,” Sager said.

Sager said she is also helping to incorporate a ticket forgiveness program with Parking and Transportation Services where students can be forgiven for their first two tickets by doing community service.

Mazzella, a communication junior, said he hopes to improve traffic safety with Safe Ride as well as parking.

“[My campaign platform involves] choosing attainable goals that are actually going to help students,” Mazzella said, “not just in random areas, but in issues that they face every single day.”

Olson, a mechanical engineering sophomore, said she hopes to keep students engaged and informed.

One of her platforms is informing students about ASUA, especially on the UA Mall.

“I’d really like to further that by maybe getting a set up in the Grand Ballroom in the Union and getting the word out more and providing more notice,” Olson said.

The elected Senator will fill the empty Senate seat after former Sen. Tate Arnold resigned last summer.

It is important to have the full 10 person body that makes up the Senate, said Marc Small, ASUA elections commissioner.

“One [senator] gone is maybe a few thousand students who aren’t represented that they could be representing,” he said.

Each senator brings a new idea to the table and represents a new set of students within the student body, said Danielle Novelly, ASUA executive vice president.

“I think with this year I would just look for somebody who can say their opinions in a way that will represent the student body in the best way,” Novelly said.

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