Elections
Elections
SGA Elections
The Student Government Association hosts three series of elections for the following positions in the spring term:
- Series 1: President, Vice President, CFO, Alternate Student Trustee, and Chief Commissioner
- Series 2/3: Recording Secretary and Assistant Vice Presidents
- Series 4: Class (4 per year) and Academic Senators (1 per College)
First-Year Class Senators (4) and Transfer Senators (4) are elected in the fall term.
Commuter Senators (4) and DEI Senators (4) are elected at the beginning of the spring term.
Eligibility for all positions
- Must be and undergraduate student and in good standing with the university
- You must have a 2.5 or higher to be eligible to run
- You must attend at least 1 rules session to be eligible to run
- You must follow all the rules and regulations set out by the commission of elections during the series you want to run for
- You must be available to attend SGA meetings each Monday evening 5-10 p.m. for the duration of the 2025-26 acacademic year
- Class Senators are only eligible to run in the class level they are classified as in Banner by earned credit hours (see the Registrar's web site for a listing of credit hour ranges)
- Academic Senators are only eligible to run in the school or college of their major as currently listed in Banner
Additional Campaigning Information
Campaign Process
- You must submit an application
- The commission will review each application and request that your academic and conduct records be verified by University officials to confirm eligibility
- After the candidate is approved and deemed eligible to run for which ever series their running for, they will be able to begin their campaign using content approved by the elections commission
- The candidate will be able to campaign from the day they receive an email stating their eligibility to run through the date and time that voting ends for that series
Campaigning Rules
- Candidates are responsible for all campaigning done on their behalf. It may only begin after their nomination is approved and permission of the Commission is given.
- All campaign materials must be approved and stamped by the Commission before being used.
- Campaign materials on bulletin boards may not exceed one item per candidate per bulletin board.
- No candidate may use university funding or resources to promote their campaign.
- This includes any rights or privileges you may have due to your standing in any college, club, department, or organization.
- Candidates may campaign via email but cannot use any email lists provided to them by the university or any standing they may hold within the university.
- No student is permitted to tamper with campaign materials.
- No campaign materials may be posted in any public eating or drinking facility on campus.
- No campaigning conversations may be conducted in any public eating or drinking facility on campus.
- All posters must follow each building's posting policy.
- Students may post campaign materials off-campus but are held to the same standards written within these guidelines.
- All posted campaign materials must be removed no later than seventy-two hours after the polls close.
- Candidates may not campaign before a start date determined and announced by the Commission.
- Campaigning is intended to promote one candidate and not tarnish or defame another candidate. This means candidates are unable to run as a slate or bloc.
- Candidates may endorse others who are running for positions in either series of elections, but the creation of political parties and joint campaign materials is strictly prohibited.
- Candidates can also say “Vote For” another candidate but if it is found out that there is a slate or party going this offense will be grounds for automatic disqualification
- Candidates may not exchange a person’s vote for an item of worth. This is considered bribery and is grounds for immediate disqualification from the General Elections.
- Candidates may not distribute pins, stickers, candy or other edible items to an individual voter. Candidates may choose to create pins for only themselves to wear, or stickers for their own personal use, but these items may not be distributed.
- The distribution of business cards and/or flyers is permitted.
- Candidates are prohibited from watching a voter complete a voting submission or completing their voting submission for them.
- Candidates may not recruit any faculty or staff member to campaign on their behalf. Candidates will be penalized if a staff member publicly endorses them in any capacity, as candidates are responsible for all campaigning done on their behalf.
- A grievance may be submitted against a candidate for violating any University policy.
Campaign Rules & Sanctions
- Exceeding one item per candidate on a bulletin board
- First offense: $5.00 fine per item and request for immediate correction within 24 hours. If a correction request is not fulfilled by the deadline a second offense will be issued.
- Second Offense: $10.00 fine per item and request for immediate correction within 24 hours. If a correction request is not fulfilled by the deadline a third offense will be issued.
- Third Offense: Immediate removal From Election
- Using University funding or resources to promote a campaign
- First Offense: Immediate removal from election
- Tampering with Campaign Materials of Other Candidates
- First Offense: Sanction to be determined by the Commission of Elections after investigation depending on severity. Minimum possible fine $30
- Second Offense: Immediate removal from election
- Posting Campaign Materials/Campaigning in Public Eating or Drinking Facility on Campus
- First offense: $5.00 fine per item and request for immediate correction within 24 hours. If a correction request is not fulfilled by the deadline a second offense will be issued.
- Second Offense: $10.00 per exceeding item fine and request for immediate correction within 24 hours. If a correction request is not fulfilled by the deadline a third offense will be issued.
- Third Offense: Immediate removal From Election
- Bribery
- First Offense: Immediate removal from election
- Public Endorsement by Faculty or Staff
- First Offense: Sanction to be determined by the Commission of Elections after investigation depending on severity. Minimum possible fine $15
- Second Offense: Immediate removal from election
- Smearing another candidate
- First Offense: Sanction to be determined by Commission of Elections after investigation depending on severity. Minimum possible fine $35.
- Second Offense: If a second offense is issued, the Commission will begin investigation to decide whether removal from election is appropriate. If the candidate is found to be guilty but the situation does not call for removal, they will be fined an additional $50. There shall be minimal leniency regarding consequences for this violation.
- Started Campaigning Before the Allowed Time
- First offense: $50 fine and request for stopping of campaigning. Failure to comply will result in removal from the election.
- Second offense: Immediate removal from election
- Active Campaigning within a Designated Polling Station
- First offense: $25 fine and request for stopping of campaigning. Failure to comply will result in removal from the election.
- Second Offense: Immediate removal from election
2025-26 Election Results
Series 1
Series 1 applications were accepted Jan 30th-Feb 5th. A "Meet the Candidates" event was held on Feb 10th. Voting/Campaigning was conducted Feb 10th-16th with 249 students voting.
Results:
- President: Hope Cambell (207, 88%), No Vote (42)
- Executive Vice President: Theodore Young (209, 84%), No Vote (40)
- Chief Financial Officer: Molly Fitzpatrick (170, 68%), Justin H. Green (64, 26%), No Vote (15)
- Alternate Student Trustee: Jamar Hanks (198, 80%), No Vote (51)
Series 2/3
Series 2/3 applications are accepted Feb 16th- 23rd.
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Voting/Campaigning will be Feb 25th-27th
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Results announced by March 3rd
Series 4
Series 4 applications will be accepted Feb 26th- March 5th.
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Voting/ Campaigning 7th-11th
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Results, March 14th