When students vote in the primary round of Student Union elections Wednesday, they will be faced with only one candidate for president. Senator-at-Large Alison Schwartzbaum '08, who lost her bid for vice president last year, is running unopposed to succeed Jenny Feinberg '07 for the top seat of the Union government.

Schwartzbaum called her lack of opponents "bittersweet."

While she said she was excited to have essentially locked up the position, the Union would "be in a better position if more people were running," she said.

"It's disappointing in some ways that more people aren't invested and ready to run," she said."The student body should have a choice in who they're electing."

She attributed the lack of candidates to several factors, including the fact that many qualified Union members have decided to either study abroad or seek other positions within the organization.

Schwartzbaum also said the Union needs to do more to publicize the work it does for the community. "I think we have a P.R. problem in that people don't know what we're really about," she said. "People don't know what we really do."

Feinberg said other prospective candidates declined to enter the race because of their confidence in Schwartzbaum's abilities.

"People are so secured and confident in her leadership that they didn't want to oppose her," Feinberg said.

Feinberg said she didn't choose to seek a second term because she feared she wouldn't be able to continue the job with the same fervor.

She said while her administration looked at identifying and solving "abstract, long-term issues," Schwartzbaum will be able to focus on "practical, actual issues." For instance, Feinberg said that as president, Schwartzbaum would have to deal with the aftermath of the upcoming vote on proposed legislation to reform the distribution of the Student Activities Fee.

Both Feinberg and Schwartzbaum also addressed what they said was an increased sense of camaraderie among Union officials over the past year, but said such a dynamic has not made the Union more exclusive.

"I don't think we've become too insular," she said of the Union. "It only enhances an organization to get along with the people that you work with."

Union officials had only words of support for the lone presidential candidate.

North Quad Senator Alex Braver '09 said he was sure Schwartzbaum would win even if she were running against others. "If there's one person who's definitely qualified for job of president, it's Alison Schwartzbaum," Braver said.

Rosenthal Quad Senator Sarah Klein '08 described Schwartzbaum as someone who "puts her heart and soul into every project."

Klein cited Schwartzbaum's successful efforts working with the administration last year to beautify North Quad, which she said was a "disaster zone" beforehand.

Klein also dismissed concerns over the lack of candidates in the upcoming election. "If you know her, or even have met her once, you know she deserves it."

Dean of Student Life Rick Sawyer said it was the first time he could recall in his 25 years at Brandeis that it was one-person race.

The polls open Wednesday at noon for the primaries of the first round in spring elections.