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The Student Government Association (SGA) will hold their annual elections one week prior to Spring Break in March from 12:01 am to 11:59 pm (48 hours) depending upon the determination of spring break in the University calendar. The election results will be kept confidential and monitored by the Election Ways and Means (EWM) Chair, Coordinator of Student Activities, and any SGA faculty and staff advisors until official announcement. The candidates will be able to inspect the results of the election following the announcement. All challenges to the elections, including campaign offenses, must be made in writing and presented to the Center for Student Involvement Office by 11:30am the day the results are announced. All questions regarding elections or campaigning should be brought to the Election Ways and Means Chair or the Student Government Association advisor.
All violations of election rules and procedures witnessed by or made aware to the CSI Office shall be reported to the EWM Chair/Committee for appropriate action. The Election Ways and Means Committee, under Article VII Section A of the Student Senate By-Laws, shall present the case to the Judicial Board, where the Judicial Board, under the ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥¼ä State University Student Government Association Election By-Laws, renders decisions.

SGA Election Procedures (PDF)

1. In order to run for or to serve in office, a student must meet all the qualifications set forth in the SGA Constitution, maintain a 2.7 on the 4.0 GPA scale for executive office candidates, and a 2.0 for all other senate candidates.

2. Candidates will be eligible to receive an SGA subsidy equal to one half of their campaign expenses, the total subsidy not to exceed $50 for executive office candidates, and $20 for senate candidates, excluding residential colleges.

3. In order to qualify for SGA subsidy of election costs, the candidates must turn in receipts and required receipt form (available from the SGA Vice President of Finance) of his/her election expenses to the SGA Vice President of Finance within one week of the election date.

4. The order that the candidates’ names appear on the ballot shall be determined by a random drawing of numbers at the first candidates’ meeting with the lowest number being first. 5) Each candidate, or their non-candidate representative (any person who is not a candidate for the same position as the person he/she is representing), must attend the first meeting. Failure to do so will result in that candidate’s withdrawal from the election.

1. In order to run for or to serve in office, a FRESHMAN student must meet all the qualifications set forth in the SGA Constitution, and maintain a 2.0 on a 4.0 scale.

2. Candidates will be eligible to receive an SGA subsidy equal to one half of their campaign expenses, the total subsidy not to exceed $20 for senate candidates.

3. In order to qualify for SGA subsidy of election costs, the candidates must turn in receipts and required receipt form (available from the SGA Vice President of Finance) of his/her election expenses to the SGA Vice President of Finance within one week of the election date.

4. The order that the candidates’ names appear on the ballot shall be determined by a random drawing of numbers at the first candidates’ meeting with the lowest number being first.

5. Each candidate, or their non-candidate representative (any person who is not a candidate for the same position as the person he/she is representing), must attend the first meeting. Failure to do so will result in that candidate’s withdrawal from the election.

1. A candidate may not change the office for which he/she has filed to run after the application deadline, which is set by the EWM Chair, has passed.

2. A candidate may notify the EWM Chair in writing if he/she plans to withdraw from the election.

3. Each candidate shall be responsible for the removal of their campaign materials within 48 hours of the closing of the polls, or result in complete loss of subsidy.

4. Chalking in any manner is prohibited.

5. The university reserves the right to remove, or have removed, any campaign material placed in a residential college that is attached in any way to the inside or outside of any residential college room, door, or window that is a potential safety or maintenance hazard or is deemed harmful/detrimental to the community, environment, or residential college.

6. No wall poster shall exceed 12 x 18 inches in dimension.

7. No table tent shall exceed 6 x 8 inches in dimension and must be approved by Food Services.

8. The use of microphones and/or loud speakers may be used in accordance with Building Use Policy and Outdoor Use Policy.

9. All campaign materials placed in university buildings shall be subject to each individual building’s policy.

10. Verbal campaigning of any kind in the University Libraries is prohibited. Posting campaign material in the University Libraries is subject to the policy of that individual building.

11. Posting of campaign signs or materials off campus grounds are subject to the City of ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥¼ä Code of Ordinances.

Campaign Guidelines & Offenses

Destruction to University Property:

Each aggregate offense will result in a 10% vote reduction and complete loss of subsidy from SGA for the executive and senator at-large positions. Each aggregate offense will result in a 5% vote reduction for all academic senator positions. Destruction of University Property is not only limited to the following:

1. No stickers (adhesive backed material) shall be used during the election except when labels are securely affixed to items being distributed by a candidate (i.e. mailings, novelty items).

2. Any billboards, sandwich boards or banners used shall not be driven into the ground. They will be limited to the designated areas established by the EWM committee.

1. 1. The lawn area at the Southwest corner of Regents & White College by Payne Street

   2. The lawn area at the Southwest corner of Hart College along the sidewalk

Disruption of University Business:

The definition of disruption to University Business shall be the disruption of any activity or event occurring within a university building being conducted by a university organization, staff member, or student. Each aggregate offense will result in a 10% vote reduction and complete loss of subsidy from SGA for the executive and senator at-large positions. Each aggregate offense will result in a 5% vote reduction for all academic senator positions. Disruption of University Business is not only limited to the following: 1.) The use of megaphone and bull horns is expressly forbidden.

Disqualifiable Offenses:

The following offenses are punishable with disqualification from all positions elected during the current election period not to include positions appointed by the SGA or positions elected during a different time period. 1.) Each candidate, or their non-candidate representative (any person who is not a candidate for the same position as the person he/she is representing), must attend the first meeting. Failure to do so will result in that candidate’s withdrawal from the election. 2.) Formal Campaigning (posters, campaign speeches, letters to organizations, website posts, social media posts, and other digital presentation) may not begin until after the first candidate’s meeting. 3.) Documented proof that a candidate or candidate’s representative is or has engaged in a defamatory attack against another candidate running for office.