USG changes election rules and regulations

Candidates in the upcoming Undergraduate Student Government elections will see their spending limits rise, but the number of posters students see on campus may decrease, according to the USG Elections Code passed at the USG Senate meeting last night.

"This code will allow candidates more ingenuity. . . because you really allow students too express themselves now in ways they couldn't before," Governmental Relations Committee Chair Blair Schwartz said. Schwartz was responsible for rewriting the code that was passed 13-1-4.

West Halls Senator Josh Smith, the lone dissenter, said he was unhappy that the spending limit was increased to $800, instead of an increase to $500.

The amount presidential candidates can spend for elections was increased from $400. However, the elimination of a fair market value pricing system will force candidates to submit receipts for all their expenditures.

Previously, the Campaigning and Candidacy Elections Commissioner would quote a "fair-market value" for candidate requests. Often the value quoted was lower than the actual amount paid.

Even with the increase, the number of photocopies that can be made is considerably less than could be purchased under the fair market pricing system, said Senate Appointments and Review Board Chair Kendra Ciesla.

Flyers and posters, which many candidates spend the majority of their money on, was the subject of the most debate. Previous regulations on the type, size and number of posters allowed on bulletin boards was eliminated from the code.

Concerns arose about the possibility of candidates completely covering bulletin boards so other candidates could not post their posters.

"Judging from my election experience, the person who wallpapers the entire campus will win," town Senator Emily Martin said. Martin, who has worked on two USG presidential campaigns, also expressed concern about the amount of paper that litters the campus and causes people to get angry at USG.

Suggestions made for increasing the size and number of posters, but not completely eliminating the regulations, were defeated after about an hour of debate.

USG Senate also eliminated the clause prohibiting senators who are planning to run for USG President and Vice President from participating in SARB interviews.

"It was a two year-old rule that caused a lot of problems in the last two years," USG Senate President Mark Sosnowsky said.

In last year's elections, ignorance about the rule caused the disqualification of one candidate after five separate court hearings.

Also, students who are planning to switch residential areas or move off campus now have the option of voting in that area elections instead of the area where they currently reside.

The stipend for the elections commissioners doubled. Now the head elections commissioner will be paid $200 and the three other elections commissioners will be paid $150 each.