Campaigning for office off-campus gets additional look, still banned
The USU Student Association Executive Council passed changes to its election bylaws at their final meeting for the semester Tuesday night.
Continuing debates from Nov. 25, the council looked at the new bylaws for the second time and the officers had mixed feelings about off-campus campaigning. The final decision upheld the restriction of off-campus campaigns, but further specified the allowed use of campaign materials in apartment buildings or other residential properties.
Organizations and Diversity Vice President Sonina Hernandez initially had a concern with the election rules allowing candidates to hang large banners outside businesses but not being able to campaign with flyers inside the building. The thought sparked a 40-minute discussion between the council.
After learning of the discussion, Associate Vice President of Student Services Eric Olsen wrote an email where he worried about the image of USU, which USU/SA President Doug Fiefia shared with the council. The group talked about the importance of being a good neighbor to the residents of the valley.
Charley Riddle, Athletics and Campus Recreation VP, compared elections to a trip to Las Vegas.
“If we have our own student body getting pissed off because of elections, I’d rather not be annoying Main Street in Logan,” Riddle said. “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. What happens in elections should stay in elections.”
The council decided to restrict campaigns off-campus because it would be too difficult to regulate the actions, but campaigning will be allowed in apartment complexes and private residential areas. After another discussion, the group also decided to restrict vehicle campaigning.
“We’d have to make a lot of exceptions,” said Graduate Studies Sen. Brittney Garbrick about allowing car campaigning. “Except for those who live on campus, except for those of you who park on campus.”
The council also decided to restrict campaigns on the Taggart Student Center Patio plaza.
Another issue somewhat controversially discussed was how much candidates could talk about their campaign before the official announcements. In previous years, students running contacted and talked with clubs and groups to find out what they wanted to see in a candidate and which issues they were passionate about.
Garbrick said it might present a disadvantage to certain candidates. For example, she said if a student gets to a Greek organization first, a large portion of the voting population, they’d unofficially announce their candidacy and gain votes earlier.
Fiefia disagreed and said there wouldn’t be any disadvantage to candidates participating in early conversation.
“I think it promotes voting,” he said. “Our voting turnout is high compared to everyone else in Utah, but is still very very low. I think it involves a lot of people, that they feel like they have a decision toward who their leaders actually are, that they have a say. They get to help form a platform.”
The council decided not to change the new bylaws relating to election speech before official announcements. Students will be allowed to speak with groups and organizations about important issues as long as they don’t officially announce candidacy.
Twitter: @daniellekmanley