The nominations for the University of Massachusetts Student Government Association elections, which opened Monday, will remain open until Feb. 19 at 5 p.m.

This year’s spring SGA elections have changed significantly since those held two semesters ago, when the only candidates running were the president, vice president and student trustee.

“All positions are open for nomination, with the exception of first-year senators,” said Lucas Rockett Gutterman, a senior computer science major who is the chancellor of SGA elections this semester.

Gutterman said while senators were previously elected by the people living in their residential area, they will now be chosen by the members of their graduating class.

Freshmen students will choose their senators during their first fall semester.

Students interested in running for a position in the SGA will now be able to conduct their nomination process online at the SGA website, Gutterman added.

“They can even collect nomination signatures online as well,” Gutterman said.

To appear on the final ballot, senatorial candidates will need 100 signatures from students in their graduating class.

The presidential and vice presidential candidates, who appear on the same ticket, will need 400 signatures from any undergraduate student. Nominees for the position of student trustee will also need 400 signatures, but from any undergraduate or graduate student, both of whom the student trustee represents.

Gutterman, who is also the chair of the student activist group MassPIRG, said he had been involved with the elections process for the previous three years he has attended UMass.

“I thought that my experience going through the elections process from a couple of different perspectives could help me run it,” he said.

The elections will open Mar. 20 at midnight and close Mar. 23 at 11:59 p.m.

The debates for presidential, vice presidential and student trustee candidates are scheduled for Mar. 9 at 7 p.m. in the Cape Cod Lounge of the Student Union.

“I encourage everyone to apply to be a candidate,” Gutterman said.

Stuart Foster can be reached at [email protected] or followed on Twitter @Stuart_C_Foster