Rules and Procedures FAQ

The Rules FAQ is the Election Commission's interpretation of the more formal Campaign Rules Document and Election Code. The following questions are meant to clarify some common issues encountered in past elections. They should be considered a supplement and not a substitute for the original documents.

1. Can I run for more than one office?
2. What happens if I turn in my petition late?
3. Am I allowed to have a campaign website up before official campaigning begins?
4. Can I include a picture or link to my campaign website with my platform statement? If I send one, will it be posted on the web?
5. If someone's poster is covering mine, whether it's another candidate or something completely unrelated, am I allowed to move it or take it down? If not, what do I do?
6. Can we put up posters that are 8.5x22 since it is the same area as 17x11?
7. Do postering rules apply within dorms/FSILGs?
8. Would it be OK to hang a large banner outside my dorm/frat?
9. Am I allowed to reserve one of the kiosks in Lobby 7 for the exclusive use of my campaign?
10. I am part of a campus organization. Can I use their resources in my campaign?
11. Will I be reimbursed for campaign expenses? Do I need to spend a lot of money to win?
12. Am I allowed to create my own email list for campaign announcements? If so, are there any restrictions on whom I can add to this list?
13. The Campaign Rules Document prohibits campaigning on the first floor of building 10 during paper balloting. Can I campaign in buildings 3 or 4 right next to this area? How about on the steps or the second floor?
14. Is it OK for me to meet friends in building 10 during paper balloting? What if I want to use the ATM?
15. Is there an advantage to being an unofficial, write-in candidate?
16. I have a complaint!
17. What is the appeals process?
18. I have a question that isn't covered here. What do I do?

Q: Can I run for more than one office?
A: Yes, Article III Section 2B of the Election Code specifies that there are 3 types of offices: Class Council, UA Council, and UAP/VP. A candidate may submit one petition in each type of office, but cannot, for instance run for both the Secretary and President office of his/her class. Remember, that a unique petition must be filed for each office.

Q: What happens if I turn in my petition late?
A: Article III Section 3 of the election code allows late petitions only under the following circumstances:
1. Official candidates who cannot make the regular petition deadline must submit an explanation to the Commission by the deadline. Only candidates whose requests are approved by the Election Commission will have until the late petition deadline to turn in their petition materials for inclusion on the ballot. Only extenuating circumstances apply. If we reject the grounds for your extension, you are out of luck! Please do not say that you couldn't hand in your petition because you had a lot of homework!
2. If a candidate's petition materials cannot be approved because they are found to be incomplete, the Election Commission shall give that candidate up to five days to correct the error provided that doing so is fair to all parties involved and doesn't put an undue burden on the Commission. If they are not corrected and submitted by the new deadline, you are out of luck.
The lone exception to this policy will be for positions for which no candidate has submitted a petition by the regular deadline. Petitions for these offices will be both distributed and accepted until the late petition deadline. If no petition has been filed for the office by the late deadline, the deadline for that office may be further extended.
Make every effort to turn in your petition on time. You may not begin campaigning until we approve your petition. Therefore, turning in your petition late puts you at a distinct disadvantage to other candidates who have already begun to campaign. 

Q: Am I allowed to have a campaign website up before official campaigning begins?
A: No . Before official campaigning begins, your campaigning is limited to the "Campaign Materials Box" on the petition signature sheets. A campaign website is considered as a form of campaigning. Therefore, your website may not go online until after petitions are due and properly submitted.

Q: Can I include a picture or link to my campaign website with my platform statement? If I send one, will it be posted on the web?
A: Yes and yes . We will post any links or pictures of you (within reason) on our website along with your platform statement. If you do not have access to a picture or digital camera, you can have your photo taken in the UA office on the day petitions are due.

Q: If someone's poster is covering mine, whether it's another candidate or something completely unrelated, am I allowed to move it or take it down? If not, what do I do?
A: Probably not , you may only take down out of date or non-MIT posters. If you are sufficiently bothered by any other poster that is partially covering yours, contact the group that put up the poster and kindly ask them to move it. If all else fails, contact asa-exec if the offending poster belongs to a non candidate group or the Campaign Rules Board if it belongs to another candidate. Include the location of the poster and any other pertinent evidence.

Q: Can we put up posters that are 8.5x22 since it is the same area as 17x11?
A: Go right ahead , we can multiply as well as you can. The campaign rules documents states that posters may not be larger than 11x17; any poster with rectangular dimensions that multiply to 187 is not considered larger than this size.

Q: Do postering rules apply within dorms/FSILGs?
A: Article II, Section 2, Rule C of the Campaign Rules Document governs postering in living groups. When postering on these boards you must follow any rules imposed by the dorm/FSILG, and complaints should be directed to the governing body of the particular dorm/FSILG. However, other rules in the document do apply, including the rule against graffiti (Article II, Section 2, Rule E). If postering in any living group gets out of hand, the government of the living group may choose to restrict or ban candidates from postering in that dorm or appeal to the Campaign Rules Board for more severe punitive action.

Q: Would it be OK to hang a large banner outside my dorm/frat?
A: No , the campaign rules document explicitly prohibits official candidates from hanging campaign posters larger than 11x17 outside of living groups. The reason for this is that ILGs would probably allow this kind of campaign banner while dorms would not. If allowed, oversize banners would put those candidates who choose not to live in an ILG at a distinct disadvantage.

Q: Am I allowed to reserve one of the kiosks in Lobby 7 for the exclusive use of my campaign?
A: No , the campaign rules document explicitly prohibits official candidates from reserving postering space outside of living groups. There is no way to allow official candidates to reserve them that would be fair to all candidates.

Q: I am part of a campus organization. Can I use their resources in my campaign?
A: This is covered by Article II, Section 2, Rule H of the Campaign Rules Document. So long as it is deemed permissible by the governing body of that group and within the scope of the campaign rules, you may use those resources. We feel that campaigns should reflect the backround of the candidate, and that participation in other organizations is part of a candidate's backround.

Q: Will I be reimbursed for campaign expenses? Do I need to spend a lot of money to win?
A: No and no , you will not be reimbursed. Campaign expenses are limited to $550, but you don't need to spend anywhere near that amount to win. This is not national politics; you can get somewhere even if your expenses consist of printing posters off your own inkjet.

Q: Am I allowed to create my own email list for campaign announcements? If so, are there any restrictions on whom I can add to this list?
A: You are allowed to create your own email list for campaign announcements, but Article II, Section 2, Rule D of the campaign rules document places some restrictions on such a list. While you may add ordinary users and lists of which you are a member to your own email list, adding lists of which you are not a member is prohibited. Your list must be visible, as not to violate the ban on blind carbon copy in Rule D. You should also oblige all requests from users that wish to be removed from your new list. You may also not add youself to lists you were not previously a member of for the purpose of distributing campaign literature.

Q: The Campaign Rules Document prohibits campaigning on the first floor of building 10 during paper balloting. Can I campaign in buildings 3 or 4 right next to this area? How about on the steps or the second floor?
A: Yes , you can campaign right outside this area in the hallways of buildings 3 and 4. However, if either of these areas become too congested, we may ask you to move somewhere else. The steps in building 10 are still considered the first floor if you are closer to the first floor than the second. While campaigning is allowed on the second and higher floors of the building, you may not undertake any campaign activity that can be easily seen or heard on the first floor. This precludes you from dropping campaign leaflets into lobby ten from the balcony on the second floor.

Q: Is it OK for me to meet friends in building 10 during paper balloting? What if I want to use the ATM? Verdana'>
A: Yes , the only place in building ten where you are not allowed to linger is the lobby. However, if you need to be in the other parts of building 10's first floor for a reason unrelated to the election, you may not campaign or have any campaign material visible. However, we do recommend that you avoid the lobby 10 area as much as possible to minimize any chance of being accused of watching voters to make sure they pick you.

Q: Is there an advantage to being an unofficial, write-in candidate?
A: No, the "advantages" granted to write-ins by Article II Section 3 of the campaign rules documents are aimed to allow write-ins to have a chance at winning, but they are outweighed by the privileges of being an official candidate. These include notification of all campaign news and events, the participation in debates and "meet the candidates" study breaks, and a pre-determined presence on the ballot.

Q: I have a complaint!
A: E-mail the Campaign Rules Board and let us know! Try to provide us with as much information as you can to help us out in our investigation. We will notify you once we have acknowledged your complaint.

Q: What is the appeals process?
A: The Undergraduate Association is the governing body for all elections. Therefore, all election/violation decisions are contained within its student body. If the decision issued by the Campaign Rules Board of the Election Commission is not acceptable, an appeal can be filed within 3 days of the decision to the Judicial Board. Their decision is final.

Q: I have a question that isn't covered here. What do I do?
A: By all means, email us! We hope to update this page with questions that we hadn't thought of when it was being made.