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.