With Student Association Executive Council elections less than a month away, the SA is expecting more candidates than ever before and has put a few changes in place to ensure a successful campaign period.
SA President Blake Jeter said he thinks the changes to the election process will be beneficial for the candidates.
“The changes that we made regarding elections were in no way substantial, but were just a part of the ever-evolving adjustments made to ensure that elections are conducted in the most fair manner,” Jeter said.
SA attorney general Halston Hales said there have been quite a few changes since the Student Association’s term started last March.
“The Senate has really tightened up the rules to keep campaigning reasonable,” he said.
The SA now has rules prohibiting candidates from campaigning in person in residence halls until they have received approval from either the Dean of Students or the Director of Housing.
“Also, we were in touch with the City of Starkville during the last election and we’ve really made an effort this year to work with them on signage placed off campus,” he said. “The city officials gave us some guidelines to follow and we’re really trying to stick to them in order to build a healthy relationship between the Student Association and the city government.”
Hales said the reasoning behind these changes is to attempt to give students a break from the intensity the executive elections sometimes reach.
“Now we have a safeguard against freshmen being approached in their residence halls about a campaign and we have a limit to keep people living off campus from seeing candidates’ signage at every turn,” he said. “The city is willing to work with the Student Association, but we have a commitment to them as well, so we’re really looking to keep that relationship going.”
Hales said the rules about campaign expenditures have also changed. He said the two major changes to this area include the expenditure cap being raised $300, from $700 to $1,000, and a stricter method of how expenditures are reported.
“Previously, each candidate submitted an expense sheet and all receipts at 5 p.m. the day before the election,” he said. “Now, they are responsible for the usual expense sheet at 5 p.m. as well as a second expense sheet and all applicable receipts for expenditures occurring between the submission of the first receipts and end of election day. These second sheets are due to the elections commissioner by 6 p.m. the night of election day, and the sum of the two expense sheets cannot exceed the $1,000 limit set by Senate.”
SA chief of staff Avent Clark said the new method will dispose of any potential loopholes that would allow candidates to spend over the allotted campaign funding cap.
“In the past, a candidate could turn in their expense form at 5 p.m. the day before the election and then ‘technically’ they could spend however much they wanted on the day of elections,” she said. “We wanted to change this process to make it fair for all candidates, so there now is a cap for each candidate … $1,000 for the entire election process.”
Jeter said the changes in campaign expenditures were not necessarily in response to any problems, but just a way to keep a step ahead.
“[The changes are] a preemptive action that would address potential problems on election day,” he said. “It will give the elections commissioner the ability to ensure a fair election and keep the candidates accountable.”
Hales said the new method will ensure complete fairness and bring any violations to light.
“Now, we will have seen every receipt for every purchase of the candidates, and if they have materials unaccounted for, we will see that and follow the campaign violation sanctions listed in the Constitution.”
Hales said perhaps the biggest change is the election date, Feb. 17, which came about when senators realized the conflict of the Kentucky basketball game.
“This change from the traditional third Tuesday of February election date shouldn’t catch students too much by surprise,” he said. “It will still be a mid-week election with a very quick runoff turnaround if it is necessary.”
Clark said students were going to want to be in line early for the basketball game.
“We did not want that to interfere with the turnout at the polls,” he said.
Hales said the implementation of these rules takes very little effort on the front end; the real effort will be enforcing the new restrictions and existing ones.
“This will become even more important as the campaigning continues,” he said. “The sanctions for offenses intensify quickly with fined amounts and, after a certain offense, the candidate is considered for expulsion from their respective race.”
Jeter said the changes reflect the excitement and robust number of candidates this year.
“Elections are going great this year just based upon the level of excited around them,” Jeter said. “I think this is a reflection that people feel that the Student Association can have a meaningful impact on this campus, with accomplishments such as proposing the Junction, the academic forgiveness policy, the Night Route, Bulldog Bash, the new textbook policy, and representation on numerous powerful university committees. The SA gives students the chance to create a lasting impact and grow as a student.”
Hales said students have shown a greater interest in executive elections this year.
“I am extremely pleased with where the SA is now and where it stands to go over this next year as these campaigns pan out over the next few days,” He said. “We’re in a great situation and I look forward to seeing the next Executive Council take up the issues concerning students and passionately serve our student body this coming year.”
Categories:
Executive Council elections approach
Sarah Dale Simpkins
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February 2, 2010
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