Vote yes for the Election Code!
A vote for the Election Code is a vote for fair and equal Student Government Elections! The Election Code purpose is to “serve as a guide for the Election Commission” and to “outline procedures for operating the Student Government elections. Election Commissions mission is the “fair and proper administration of all elections of the government”
DAYS UNTIL THE ELECTION
Campaign Websites
Campaigns will no longer be able to purchase a website domain under the new Election Code. Instead, campaigns will be able to create their website within the Student Government Website such as this example page! All rules following the website policies are listed in Chapter 13.
Senate Outreach
Senatorial Candidates outreach to constituents will be reformed so instead of tracking outreach on an hourly basis, it will be tracked on a credit based system. For example, each of the following will earn a Senatorial Candidate a credit.
- Attending Candidate open houses
- Speaking at clubs/organizations
- Live-streaming
- and more listed in Appendix B!
Fairness & Equality & Justness ---- Elections 2020
Candidate Seminars Reform
To make the pre-registration the most beneficial for all students interested in running for a Student Government office, the candidate information sessions specific for the office that the individual is running for meaning, senatorial candidates will be required to attend an information session specific to senate and executive slates will be required to attend an information session specific to running as a Presidential or Vice Presidential candidate.
Senatorial Candidate Information Session
- Senators to help host senatorial candidate seminars — Tell the future of ISU why you ran and stuck through this for a year!
- Information sessions to be specific to the role of a senator and to briefly go over the timeline and Election Law
- Statement of Intents available so that students can register at the information sessions
- Special seminars available to encourage LGBTQ+, Womxn in politics and minorities in Politics.
Executive Slate Information Session
- More in depth information session regarding campaigning regulations and the Election Law
- This is a preventative measure for violations
- This is also an opportunity to introduce all the resources candidates have at hand
- This will be a chance for the slates to meet their competitors
- Break out sessions provided so slates can ask questions they may feel uncomfortable asking in large group setting
Go and "Like" our page turn on our notifications message us on Facebook
Increasing meaningful constituency participation
In order to create meaningful constituency participation, students must not only be aware of the elections themselves, but must be aware of the actors within the Elections. To achieve this, these are the measures Election Commission will be implementing hopefully with the aid of the Student Government Dept. of Public Relations.
1. Election Commission will have a Elections liaison who will work with Student Governments PR Committee and Civic Engagement committee
2. Creating opportunities for Senators to outreach (Candidate Open House, Debates, etc)
3. Implementing a code aimed at active constituent outreach
FINANCIAL REGULATIONS
Under long review, Election Commission will be implementing financial regulations regarding public funding. This year, students will be automatically using the public funding option instead of deciding between public or private.
The only instance that will trigger a private funding option will be in the case that the dispersed balance falls below $1,000 per slate (6.4).
The Election Commission treasurer will have the power to request fiancial reports from the slates (6.12). Additionally, slates will be required to turn in weekly finance reports to the Election Commission treasurer (6.1).
Additionally, all candidates and slates are bound to Priorities and Criteria and must adhere to these purchasing rules.
Reforming the Role of the Liaison
Each senator will be assigned a liaison — This is an individual who the candidate can contact as a resource for anything relevant to campaigns
- Candidates will receive weekly emails regarding important rulings, due dates, events, etc
- These emails will include a fun campaign tip (ex. Did you know you could rent out a table for free at Event Management?)
- Outreach is documented through the liaison
Liaisons are members of the Election Commission.
Campaign Regulations
8.16 Candidates are prohibited from operating a raffle event.
This is a way of preventing campaigns from collecting information from and bribing voters in the elections. Additionally, this is a preventative code from allowing candidates from funneling election funds.
8.19 All senators are required to complete two outreaching credits. Details on what constitutes a credit can be found in Appendix B of the Election Code. Senators are expected to alert the Election Commission 48 hours prior to the event and provide a source of visual evidence of completing the event. Any event not listed in Appendix B must receive written approval by the Election Commissioner.
Last year, outreaching hours were required for senatorial candidates. This year what we are requiring is a credit based system rather than a time system. This should be easier to achieve while still promoting candidates to outreach to their constituents.
8.20 Candidates are prohibited from reserving signboards from Election Commission. Student organization endorsers may in-kind donate signboards reservations for your campaign.
There is a very specific reason for this but the same student organization can only reserve for two weeks at a time and cannot make these reservations consecutively.
8.21 All executive slates are not allowed to purchase and or own a website domain outside of the iastate.edu domain. Executive slates will be given free webspace through the Student Government website.
This is policy from SAC. Regardless if a candidate or slate is running privately for publicly they must abide by these policies and university policy.
8.22 Candidates and slates are allowed to organize social media pages before the campaign start date, as specified in the Election Timeline. These social networking sites must remain on a private, hidden mode until the campaign start date. These social networking sites are not allowed to accept any follower requests until the campaign start date. Any candidate or slate that is found to own a public social networking site campaigning on their behalf shall be subjected to a penalty.
As long as your campaign is not open to the public.
8.23 All candidates and slates shall be prohibited from entering into a legally binding contract regarding the policies they will enact or support when elected.