Article X: Union Election Procedure
Section 1
At least ten academic days prior to the start of balloting, the Chief of Elections shall communicate to the Student Body the timeline for elections and shall promulgate the rules and procedures for that election period. At the start of balloting, the Chief of Elections shall communicate to the Student Body the commencement of an election and shall promulgate appropriate voting instructions.
Section 2
Candidates for office must attend a mandatory candidates meeting and indicate their intent to run for office in accordance with the rules set by the Chief of Elections.
- Candidates who cannot attend the mandatory candidates meeting shall inform the Chief of Elections one to two business days before the meeting and make alternative arrangements at the discretion of the Chief of Elections.
- Candidacies are not valid until accepted by the Chief of Elections.
Section 3
Candidates shall be allowed to campaign for at least five academic days prior to the start of balloting.
- Prior to campaigning, candidates must submit their required candidate biographies by the date and time specified by the Chief of Elections to have them included in the campuswide election announcements. If any and all candidates fail to do so, the Chief of Elections will indicate that the candidate did not submit a biography in the official compilation of all candidate biographies .
- For any and all candidates, campaigning may not begin until the Chief of Elections sets a date and time for campaigning to begin. The date and time for campaigning shall apply equally to all candidates
Section 4
Candidates must abide by the following "fair elections" rules:
- No money may be spent on a campaign by a candidate or their supporters.
- No libelous or slanderous statements may be made by a candidate nor may a candidate encourage others to make libelous or slanderous statements on their behalf.
- No vote may be obtained through a mobile voting station operated by a candidate or their supporters.
- A mobile voting station shall be defined as any portable device with access to the Student Union voting system.
- Elections Commissioners may be permitted to operate mobile voting stations during balloting at the discretion of the Chief of Elections.
- The Chief of Elections may create additional election rules which must be approved by a majority of the Student Union Judiciary. Additional election rules may not be added after campaigning has begun and additional election rules shall not last longer than the election cycle for which they are introduced and approved by Judiciary. The Senate shall be notified by the Chief of Elections of additional election rules after they are approved by the Union Judiciary.
Section 5
Failure to observe the provisions of this article or any other provision of the Student Union Constitution and these Bylaws may result in one or more of the following:
- Warning communication from the Chief of Elections.
- Referral to the Chief of Elections and Student Union President.
- Forfeiture of candidacy.
- The Chief of Elections may recommend forfeiture of candidacy and the Student Union Judiciary shall meet at their earliest convenience but no more than 48 hours after recommendation of forfeiture to determine whether the candidacy should be invalidated.
Section 6
Should a candidate be disqualified during balloting, the election shall be voided and a new election for that position shall be held. Should a candidate be disqualified after balloting has been completed, a new election for that position shall be held if the disqualification affects the outcome of the ballot.
Section 7
The Chief of Elections and all Elections Commissioners shall not:
- Release any information pertaining to ongoing elections results, including vote tallies, to parties not involved in overseeing the Election.
- Provide any advantages to one candidate over another candidate.
Section 8
In the event of no demonstrated interest among constituents of a certain residential area to hold office as a Senator, the Student Union can hold a special election open to the entire undergraduate student body to fill any empty positions.
- No demonstrated interest is determined by failure to elect a senator for one or more positions in the first round of elections.
- If a senator is elected under these circumstances, they will be known as a "Community Senator" and represent areas without an elected Senator.
- This kind of special election can be called by consensus between the Student Union President and the Chief of Elections.
- Community Senator candidates will be clumped together into a general pool to be voted on by the unrepresented areas.
- The candidate(s) with the highest number of votes that align with the number of unfilled spots will be elected as Community Senator(s).
- The number of spots open for Community Senators is equal to the number of unfilled quad senator positions.
Section 9
Election of Previously Recalled, Impeached, or Removed Union Members:
- No individual who has been recalled, impeached, or removed from office for any reason shall be eligible to campaign for or be appointed to any Union position for a minimum of one (1) academic year.
- No individual who has resigned from office after a petition mandating a recall vote for that individual has been certified by the Secretary (as per Article X, Section 1, Clause 2 of the Constitution) or after the Senate has officially announced a motion to impeach or remove that individual at a meeting (as per Article X, Section 2, Clause 2 and Section 3 of the Constitution) shall be eligible to campaign for or be appointed to any Union position for a minimum of one (1) academic year.
Section 10
Endorsements
- Candidates for Membership on the Allocations Board or Judiciary must refrain from receiving or giving endorsements.
- All candidates for Allocations Board or Judiciary who choose to include social media as part of their campaign must disclose either in their account biography or in their caption that they can not accept endorsements from members of Student Union or candidates for Student Union membership.
- If a Union member does repost a campaign graphic, the candidate must contact the party and ask that the post be deleted in a timely manner. If the problem ensues, the Chief of Elections must intervene.