Description of SG Elections

701.5 Election Procedures

701.5.1 Online voting shall be utilized in all Student Government elections.

701.5.2 The Election Rules Commission shall make public the locations of all Restricted and Unrestricted Campaign zones prior to Official Campaigning.  No candidate may receive violations for campaigning in areas that are not made known by the Election Rules Commission to be restricted.  The Election Rules Commission must research all locations that are restricted by the University.

701.5.3 The Election Rules Commission shall set up and operate a minimum of 3 official polling stations throughout the campus during regular business hours (9 AM- 5 PM) on voting days for the General Election and Run-Off Election.

701.5.3.1 The Election Rules Commission shallset up and operate a minimum of 1 official polling station on campus during regular business hours (9 a.m. ├óΓé¼ΓÇ£ 5 p.m.) on voting days for the Midterm Elections and Run-Off Election.

701.5.3.2 In the event that at least two officers of the Election Rules Commission have not yet taken office, an official polling station shall not be required.

701.5.8 The Election Rules Commission shall certify the results of the General Election on the Friday following the close of the polls at 5:00 PM.  If a Run-Off occurs, then the results of the Run-Off Election shall be certified on the Friday following the close of the polls at 5:00 PM.  These certifications shall include notice of any pending Supreme Court cases involving the election.  The results of the General and Run-Off Elections are not official until certified by the Election Rules Commission.

701.5.9 All campaign materials shall have the sponsor├óΓé¼Γäós name on said material.  The specific template and any applicable exceptions shall be outlined in the ERC├óΓé¼Γäós ROP.

701.5.9.1 Violations of this statute can only be filed by the Election Rules Commission.

702.2 Election Timeline

702.2.1 The application period shall begin the first day of the Spring semester and shall end at 5pm on the last day of the business week, six weeks prior to Spring Break.

702.2.2 The week prior to the two weeks of Official Campaigning shall be reserved for the Student Government Advising and Training Operations Bureau to check the eligibility of candidates. When the Student Government Advising and Training Operations Bureau have completed this check, they will contact the Elections Rules Commission who will certify the candidate to run in the election. If a candidate is found to be ineligible to run for office they will be notified of the reason for their ineligibility by a member of SGATO.

702.2.3 Official Campaigning shall begin four weeks prior to the start of Spring Break,and shall end with the close of polls on the final day of voting.

702.2.4 Elections shall be held two weeks prior to the start of Spring Break and shall last for four consecutive business days, Monday through Thursday of the applicable week.

702.2.5 If needed, a Run-off election shall be held during the week prior to the start of Spring Break.

SG Election Code, July 2012

Candidate Recruiting Description

ARTICLE V: THE ELECTION PROCESS AND VOTERS RIGHTS

SECTION I:  All student enrolled at the University of South Florida, Tampa Campus shall be entitled to vote in the general, mid-term, and interim elections of the Student Government Association.  All students enrolled in the University of South Florida system may vote for the Student Body President and Student Body Vice-President.  Any student has the right to call for a University-Wide initiative/referendum election provided that a petition signed by at least 20% of the number of students that voted in the most recent general election is submitted as specified by Statutes.  Any student has the right to call for a University-Wide Senatorial recall election provided that a petition signed by at least 10% of the number of students that voted in the most recent general election is submitted as specified by Statutes; the students that sign the petition must be from the respective college of the Senator.  Additionally, any student has the right to call for a University-Wide Presidential recall election provided that a petition signed by at least 10% of the Student Body is submitted as specified by Statutes.  Student Body enrollment figures shall be determined by the Registrar├óΓé¼Γäós Office at the time of the initiative/referendum/recall.

SECTION II:  All candidates for the offices of Student Body President and Student Body Vice-President shall form joint candidacies so that each voter shall cast a single vote for a candidate for President and a candidate for Vice-President running together.  Election for President and Vice-President shall take place four consecutive days beginning on the Monday, nine business days prior to Spring Break.  Run-off elections, if necessary, shall be held the following Tuesday and Wednesday.  The President and Vice-President shall take office the first Monday following Spring Commencement.  The President and Vice-President shall serve a one-year term of office.  No President or Vice-President may serve more than two consecutive terms.

SG Constitution, July 2010