Spring Candidates Meeting

1. Spring Candidates Meeting

2. Judicial Court • Chief Justice: Julian Whitley ‘14 • Website: jcourt.tamu.edu • For Counsel, utilize Judicial Advocates (info on website)

3. Reasons (not limited to) to file • Outcome of an election • Disqualifications • Fines • Unconstitutionality of provisions in Election Regulations • Etc…

4. How do you file an appeal?

5. Candidate Guide • Due Date: February 14th at 11:55 PM • Send to: emmadouglas95@gmail.com • Subject line: name and position • What to send: • Photo of candidate • Platform (250 words max) • Biography (250 words max) • Resume’ (1 page max)

6. In-hall Campaigning • Monday, 2/17 (5p-7p)- Southside (Appelt, Aston, Dunn, Eppright, Mosher, Rudder) • Staging Area: Commons 159 • Tuesday, 2/18 (5p-7p)- Northside (FHK Complex, Haas, Hobby, Hullabaloo, Lechner, Legett, McFadden, Moses, Walton) • Staging Area: Hullabaloo Main Lobby

7. Rules • Each candidate will have fifteen minutes per hall. • Time cards for each member handing out materials will be given at the first day of in-hall campaigning and turned in when finished on the second day. • Campaign members will have to report back to the staging area after each hall visit with timecard and signature from escort. • No more than 2 members per candidate are allowed in the hall during the fifteen-minute period. • In Hall Campaigning will take place from 5-7pm both days with the staging area becoming open at 4:45pm

8. In-hall escorts can have no more than 2 members with them at any time. • Please follow the signs on the door when distributing materials. Campaigners can leave materials at student’s door that do not mark anything on the door sign. • Campaigners that leave materials at student’s door that have marked “do not campaign” will be subjected to election fines. • Any additional questions please email president@rha.tamu.edu

9. Social Media • Social media networks such as: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and other Internet related outlets will not be regulated by the Election Commission. • However, the disclaimer in the Rules and Regulations must be included in mass messages and should a student ask to be removed, you should comply immediately. • Should you fail to do so, it may result in a violation.

10. General Campaigning Locations • H₂O Fountain, Commons, Fish Pond, Harrington Plaza, WCL, University/Wellborn, Texas/University, George Bush/Texas, Wellborn/George Bush, Rudder Plaza • NO Academic Plaza, inside the MSC • RHA- selected residence halls during in-hall campaigning • Official and complete list is posted at election.tamu.edu • **Subject to change

11. Modified Campaigning • No distribution of materials • Any signage must “Promote the Vote” • H₂O fountain and Fish Pond, Harrington Plaza, and The Zone • First day of voting: 8a-5p • Expense reports due by 5p (SHARP) to the Election Commission lock box B2 • Second day of voting: 8a-12p

12. Violation Reports A student who wishes to report an alleged violation of the Election Regulations may do so by filing an online violation report of the alleged violation with the Election Commission within seventy-two (72) hours of the alleged violation. The violation report can be found at election.tamu.edu.

13. Violation Reports Make sure that you fill out every part of the violation report form. Reports without violation description, rule broken (where it is found in the rules), or proper supporting documentation of the violation may not be considered. You may remain anonymous, though, the Election Commission will not be able to contact you should any further questions arise.

14. Violation Tiers • Major Offenses • “Major violations include, but are not limited to: offenses against local, state, or federal law to any degree; sabotage of opposing campaigns; voting fraud, falsified documents (including finance reports); withheld finance reports and ethics/Honor Code violations.” • If found in violation you will be provided with a “Major Violations Report” with the Commission’s justification for its decision within 72 hours of meeting. • Maximum fine of 15% of budget or disqualification (Regulations IV,C,1,a,i)

15. Minor Offenses • “Minor violations include, but are not limited to: pre-campaigning, finance violations, and offenses not included within the major violations criteria as determined by the Election Commission and these regulations.” • Major race: $20 plus $5 for every additional violation of the same kind • Minor race: $5 plus $2 for every additional violation of the same kind • Cash only into Koldus 126 by appointment (Regulations IV,C,1,b,ii)

16. Fines • Total fines will be deducted from the candidate’s budget • Half of that amount will also be made payable to the Election Commission and will be forwarded to the SGA Endowment Account • Fines must be paid within 10 days of the final day of voting

17. Budgets • SBP- $2000 • Yell Leader- $1800 • Class President- $400 • RHA Pres/EVP- $300/250 • Student Senate- $200 • Exceeding your budget will result in immediate disqualification.

18. For senate candidates ONLY • Expanded budgets for senate candidates running as co-candidates • Use the formula: {(original budget) + [$50*(number of additional candidates)]} • This expanded number is allotted to each candidate within a group of co-candidates

19. Finance • MUST expense all items at actual cost or Fair Market Value (FMV) • Supply donations must be expensed as FMV using the Fair Market Value Assessment Form

20. Finance “The term “expenditure” is defined as the fair market value or actual cost, depending on the appropriate circumstance, of all campaign materials used or obtained by any candidate in his/her campaign and any fines incurred by the candidate.” Texas A&M Election Regulations, IV.A.2

21. Expense Reports • Includes tax in formulas • Section A: Bryan/College Station Purchases • Example: Wal-Mart, Target, Home Depot • Section B: Outside Purchases • Example: Internet, Outside of B/CS, Donations • Section C: Fines (not subject to tax)

22. Null Expenditure Statement • States that you spent $0.00 on your campaign and serves as an official expense report • This must be submitted in the same manner as traditional expense reports

23. Expense Reports Cont. • All expense reports must be turned in by 5 PM on the first day of voting (February 20) to the Election Commission lock box B2 in Koldus. Must use the formfrom the “Resources” tab. • Failure to comply will result in immediate disqualification.

24. Instant Runoff VotingSingle Seat • Voters rank candidates from most-preferred to least-preferred in the general election. Losing candidates are eliminated one by one in rounds, and ballots cast for them are reassigned to their voters’ next choice, until the final number of winners is reached.

25. Instant Runoff VotingMulti Seat • While ranking shall proceed numerically, with no duplications, votes for as many candidates as there are winners shall be weighted equally. • After a candidate (ranked in the equally-weighted positions) has been eliminated, that candidate’s vote shall be redistributed to the candidate on a ballot with the next-highest ranking. • Rounds proceed in this way until winners equal to the number of seats available for a particular race reach a majority

26. Questions? • For any additional questions, please email tamuelection@gmail.com

27. Breakout Sessions • SBP, Yell Leader, RHA, Student Senate, and Class Council Reps will provide you with more specific information on your races. • The meeting officially ends at 10:30 p.m.