Seems a bit quick; the first mention of elections on
foundation-l (which
I read via the archives occasionally) was on the 26th; there is no
mention at all on the foundation website, so this is the first I'd
heard. I'd love to take a more active role in the future direction of
the project.
It's only the candidates for organizing the election which is closed,
not the candidates for the election itself. There is still plenty of
opportunity to take an active role in the future of the project. The
Foundation category on Meta
<http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Wikimedia_Foundation> is a
good place to look for places you can help.
Angela.