Student Government Senate revised the SG Election Code on Wednesday to prohibit campaigning within 20 feet of University buildings and decrease campaign spending.
The Summer Planning Committee worked on the revisions to the election code this summer and approved them at Wednesday’s meeting.
“We made a lot of much needed change to allow the document to serve us much more efficiently in the spring,” said Brooksie Bonvillain, Speaker of the Senate.
Major changes to the election code took place in article seven, regarding spending limits.
The general election spending limit decreased by $500 per ticket president and vice president candidates. The limit is now $1,000. Presidential and vice presidential candidates not running on a ticket’s spending limit is $2,350.
New rules were also passed regarding campaigning. Candidates may not campaign within 20 feet of any University building and the quad except on election days. The old rule stated no campaigning could take place within 10 feet of University buildings, except on election days, and did not include the quad.
“We want people to be able to avoid campaigning,” Bonvillain said.
David Jones, External Affairs Committee Chairman and member of the Summer Planning Committee, said the committee got a wide range of ideas for the election code from every aspect of the SG branches.
“I think that all of the work in revising the election code that was done by the Summer Planning Committee will not only benefit elections immediately during the 2010-11 elections, but future elections,” Jones said.
Bonvillain, Jones, UCAC Sen. Cody Wells, College of Basic Sciences Sen. Brandon Jones and Speaker Pro Tempore Aaron Caffarel worked with SG President J Hudson and Vice President Dani Borel on the revisions.
“We want to do what’s right to make sure our elections are smooth, fair and uphold our integrity,” Jones said.
The Department of Student Outreach will host a letter writing campaign.
“Students from all different ages can write a letter, and we will deliver it to the state Capitol for them,” Borel said.
Borel said there will be two types of letters — one written solely by the student, and the other letter will be a letter format personalized by the student.
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Contact Celeste Ansley at [email protected]