Voting began Monday at the University of North Texas to decide whether same-sex couples should be allowed to run for Homecoming court.

Polls are open until 5 p.m. on Friday. If the vote passes, UNT will be one of the first universities to allow the crowning of two Homecoming kings sans a queen, or vice versa.

The Student Government Association’s bylaws at the university have stipulated that Homecoming couples must consist of a male and female, but after several weeks of protests and arguments the government voted 22-1 on Oct. 21 for a referendum to let the student body make the final decision.

Staff writers of the school’s daily newspaper North Texas Daily said in an editorial that voting in favor of same-sex Homecoming couples would “support the advancement of equal rights for all,” while voting against the referendum will “inevitably send a message of adherence to social norms and traditions.”

To ensure fairness, students may vote through the government’s Web site, untsga.com, only once by logging in using their university ID number. Unlike some universities including Southern Methodist University in Dallas, the Denton-based university decides on its annual royalty by couple instead of individually.

Ryan Nguyen and Andi Minatrea were crowned this year’s Homecoming king and queen on Oct. 17, taking 43 percent of the student body vote. If the legislation passes, the change will not be effective until Homecoming 2010.

Across town, SMU students have been vying for Student Senate to introduce a senator that would represent the gay, lesbian and transgender community. The senate currently includes senators that represent students’ degree programs as well as their ethnic backgrounds. No progress has been made so far on the proposal.