Spring 2016 SGA Elections Commission

Candidates Meeting

What is the SGA?

Spring 2016 Positions

❖ President/Vice-President

❖ University Student Trustee

❖ Senators

A Historic Election

Elections Reform

•46 open seats•15 in class of 2019•15 in class of 2018•16 in class of 2017

Timeline❖ Nominations Period — February 8th - February 19th

❖ Candidates Meeting — March 24th

❖ Nominations Validation

❖ Campaign Period — Tuesday March 8th 12:00am

❖ Spring Break — Saturday March 12th - Sunday March 19th

❖ Elections — March 20th 12:00am - March 23rd 11:59pm

❖ Ratification — by April 22nd

Nominations Validation

What are the Bylaws?

What are the Bylaws?

http://www.umass.edu/sga/organization

8.15: Campaign Finance❖ Section 1 — Funds allocated by the SGA for the purpose of

campaigning shall be directed by the Elections Commission which can adequately provide the necessary campaign materials.

❖ Campaign funds will be directed to Campus Design and Copy, The Student Union Craft Center, or any student businesses or agency approved by the Elections Commission.

❖ Section 2 — The budget for President/Vice President candidates and Student Trustee candidates shall be a minimum of one hundred and fifty dollars ($150.00) per campaign.

8.26.2: Candidate Code of Conduct

❖ For the purpose of Title VIII, Chapters 24-25 of the By-laws of the SGA, forms of the verb "to campaign", shall be defined as any public action by any person in support of a candidate for elected SGA office which shall include, but shall not be limited to, distribution of literature or posting of materials.

8.26.3: Candidate Code of Conduct❖ While criticism of another candidate is allowed, no candidate shall defame or

harass their opponent(s).

❖ No candidate may utilize the resources of the SGA, the SGA Office, any Executive Agency, any Subsidiary Governance Body, or any RSO for the purpose of campaigning for a General or Special Election. Speaking directly to an RSO or an agency in their assigned office shall not constitute a violation of this provision.

❖ No person(s) or business(es) shall appropriate funds for the purpose of campaigning except the SGA, nor shall any candidate use the Elections Commission money given to candidates for non-campaign related use.

❖ All equipment and supplies used to campaign shall be registered with the Chancellor of Elections prior to their use, and shall be accompanied by certified copies of the purchase orders or inter-activity recharges used to purchase said materials.

8.26.3: Candidate Code of Conduct❖ Campaign materials are to be approved by the Chancellor of Elections

during regular business hours.

❖ Pens, pencils, tape, removable adhesives, chalk, markers, computers, staplers, and stapler guns shall be exempt from the provisions of Title VIII, Chapter 245, Section 32, Subsection 4 of the By-laws of the SGA.

❖ All candidates shall purchase their materials at fair market prices to which all other candidates shall have reasonable access. No coupons shall be allowed.

❖ No candidate shall unduly coerce a voter while they are voting.

❖ No candidate or campaign worker shall use another voter’s Student ID or other authentication for the purposes of voting.

8.26.3: Candidate Code of Conduct❖ No person, who shall not have been listed on the campaign workers list,

shall actively campaign for a candidate, and candidates shall be charged with registering any deletions or additions to a campaign list with the Chancellor of Elections.

❖ Candidates shall be responsible for the actions of persons registered on the campaign workers list.

❖ No funds shall be transferred between candidates. As a co-campaign or as a ticket, candidates may purchase mutually beneficial campaign materials.

❖ No candidate shall wrongfully represent any campaign material as being the material of any other candidate.

8.26.3: Candidate Code of Conduct

❖ No candidate shall violate the Code of Student Conduct.

❖ No candidate shall corruptly give, offer or promise to any SGA member any pecuniary or other benefit not authorized by the Constitution of the SGA, the By-laws of the SGA or an Act of the SGA, which is intended to influence the vote(s) of said SGA member.

❖ No person shall campaign within fifty (50) feet of an polling place on Election Day.

❖ No candidate shall unduly coerce a voter while they are voting.

http://www.umass-sga.com umasssgaelections@gmail.com

FORMAL CAMPAIGN COMPLAINT FORM

UMASS AMHERST ELECTIONS COMMISSION

KEEP UPPER HALF FOR YOUR REFERENCE

9 Please fill out and submit the form below along with a detailed description of the campaign violation

that you are reporting. Please note that although the description has no specified length limits, this will serve as your chance to present your case to the Elections Commission, so being as detailed and thorough as possible is suggested. Try your best to include specific details (time, dates, locations, campaign representatives, etc.).

9 Please allow 1-2 days for the Elections Commission to review your complaint and make a final decision.

9 All complaints will be reviewed by the Elections Commission. You will be updated on the status of your complaint via the e-mail you provide.

9 Completed complaint forms should be sent electronically to umasssgaelections@gmail.com

9 When submitting your form, please indicate your name and your preferred method of contact, along with your contact information, in the body of the message.

Questions may be directed to Rocco Giordano, Chancellor of Elections at umasssgaelections@gmail.com

DETAILS OF YOUR COMPLAINT

Violator’s Name or Organization:_________ _______________________________ Date of Violation: _________________________ This Violation is Ongoing Yes No Last Known Location of Violation (if Applicable): ______________ ____________ _______ I, ______ _, hereby submit this campaign violation report to the Elections Commission for review, and authorize the commission to contact me should any additional information be needed. Signature: __ ___ Date: ___ ____

SUBMIT THIS FORM, ALONG WITH AN ATTACHED DESCRIPTION OF

THE INCIDENT, TO THE ELECTIONS COMMISSION

Formal Complaints

❖ Must be nontrivial

❖ The Commission can only act on evidence provided

❖ The Commission decides the course of action to be taken—including the lack thereof

8.27.1: Violations of Title VIII

❖ The Elections Commission may, upon a two-thirds (2/3) vote of its membership in attendance at a scheduled meeting, and up to thirty (30) calendar days following an election, take any one of the actions prescribed herein for violations of Title VIII of the By-laws of the SGA:

8.27.1: Violations of Title VIII

❖ Warning - A written statement to a candidate ordering the cessation of any activity which is in violation of Title VIII of the By-laws of the SGA, or their candidacy shall be suspended or invalidated.

8.27.1: Violations of Title VIII

❖ Suspension - A written statement to a candidate ordering the suspension of all campaigning for a prescribed period of calendar time.

8.27.1: Violations of Title VIII

❖ Invalidation - A written statement to a candidate declaring their candidacy to be invalid and stricken from the ballot (if before the election). After the election, a candidate may still be invalidated.

8.27.1: Violations of Title VIII

❖ Nullification - A public announcement to the SGA membership declaring an Election nullified and calling a Special Election to re-cast the ballots.

8.22.2: Write-in Votes

❖ All write-in candidates must submit their name to the Election’s Commission prior to the end of the voting period. Any write-in candidate that does not submit their name shall have their votes invalidated.

The Upshot

The Elections Commission is here to help everyone through the (often arduous and

confusing) elections process.

Ask questionssgaelections@umass.edu

Good Luck

$1.3 Trillion