Election Code of SGA

ELECTION CODE OF THE STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION

University of Arkansas at Little Rock

Revised Spring 2021

ARTICLE I – GENERAL PROVISION

Section 1 – Purpose

The purpose of this election code will be to ensure fair, accurate, and proper campaigns and elections for positions in the Student Government Association (SGA) at UA Little Rock.

Section 2 – Scope

  • The provisions of this election code will apply to all candidates for office in SGA, whether they are officially registered as candidates or not.
  • Ignorance of this code shall not be an acceptable defense in response to any offense committed in any election under this code; either by the candidates themselves, their agents or workers, or the election regulatory bodies, as defined by this code.

Section 3 – Election Proclamation

The election proclamation will state:

  1. The dates, times, and place of the election
  2. The dates, times and place for candidate registration, where applicable
  3. Officers to be elected
  4. Other ballot questions.

Section 4 – Polling Hours, Places, and Dates

  1. Dates: The dates for the election will be prescribed by the UA Little Rock SGA Constitution to be as follows: The fall election will be held in the first week of November and the spring election will be held in the first week of April, except otherwise provided by the Senate.
  2. Times: In all SGA elections, polling will commence at 9:00 a.m. on Monday of the week prescribed by the SGA Constitution and end at 11:59 p.m. on Friday of the same week, unless otherwise provided by the Senate.
  3. Places: UA Little Rock will use Qualtrics survey tool as the designated polling place for all SGA elections. The SGA advisor shall work with the Scholarly Technology and Resources (STaR) Office to develop and administer the electronic election ballot.

Section 5 – Voting

  • All voters must be identifiable as currently enrolled students by inclusion on an official list of currently enrolled students.
  • To vote, ballots will be sent to eligible students via their university email. Eligible students will only be able to vote for those candidates within their college and at-large candidates.
  • Once the vote is cast, the eligible student cannot vote again.
  • In all elections, voting will be by secret electronic ballot.
  • Special paper ballots will be made for students with disabilities and international students specified by the proper official. These voters will sign the ballots and list their student identification on the ballot.
    • If requested, students with disabilities may obtain their special paper ballot from the Student Experience Center (SEC) in the upper concourse of the DSC, unless otherwise provided by the Senate.
    • Special paper ballots must be turned in to the SEC by 5:00 p.m. on the final day of the election to be included in the vote tallying, unless otherwise provided by the Senate.

Section 6 – Counting Procedures

  1. All legal votes will be counted electronically via Qualtrics survey tool and verified by the SGA Advisor and the STaR Office.
  2. The ballots will be tallied electronically after the polls close on the final day.

ARTICLE II:  REGULAR FALL AND SPRING ELECTIONS

Section 1 – Candidate Registration

  1. The period for registration of candidates in the regular SGA elections will commence on the twenty-first (21st) school day preceding the election and will close at 5:00 p.m. on the sixth (6th) school day preceding the election, except otherwise provided by the Senate.
  2. All registration will take place electronically via an online form provided on the SGA website.
  3. Candidates for President and Vice President must file jointly.
  4. Candidates must complete candidate orientation after the registration deadline. Those candidates who fail to attend candidate orientation will not be added to the ballot.

Section 3 – Campaign Procedures

  • All candidates will inform their campaign workers of election rules.
  • No campaign material may be posted more than twenty (20) school days preceding the first day of the election.
  • No campaign material may be posted, whether physical or electronic, until the candidate completes candidate orientation.
  • All campaigning will be conducted in a manner that will not interfere with the classroom or business activities of the campus.
  • The following forms of advertisement are prohibited:
    • The use of off-campus radio, televisions, newspapers, and magazines.
    • The use of University-owned televisions (located in the Donaghey Student Center (DSC) or otherwise) for the purposes of campaigning.
    • No candidate will be allowed to post campaign material off-campus.
  • Forum advertising is acceptable.
  • Candidates, their running mates, and their supporters are limited to one table in the DSC.
  • All signs must be approved and stamped by the Student Experience Center and all signs must follow the guidelines established by Facilities Management and the Director of the DSC.

Section 4 – Sign Regulations

  • Quantity Restrictions
    • Candidates for Senate positions are limited to twenty-five (25) posters, twenty-five (25) attached flyers, and two (2) medium-size signs.
    • Presidential/Vice Presidential tickets are limited to fifty (50) posters, one hundred (100) attached flyers, and ten (10) medium-size signs.
    • Presidential/Vice Presidential tickets are also allowed two (2) billboards or an equivalent area. Billboards are not counted in the limit for posters, flyers, and medium-sized signs.
      • Billboards may be posted, one (1) each, in the following areas:
        • Space(s) within the DSC designated by the Senate as campaign billboards
        • DSC courtyard on the western side of the building outside the Trojan Cafe
      • There is no limit to the number of unattached flyers.
  • Size Restrictions
    • Materials with dimensions smaller than 9” x 12” are considered flyers.
    • Materials with dimensions between 9” x 12” and 24” x 30” or equivalent are considered posters.
    • Medium-size signs have maximum dimensions of 50” x 52” or equivalent area.
    • Billboards have maximum dimensions of 5’x 8’ or equivalent area.
    • If a poster or if the flier contains the name of more than one candidate, it will be counted against the limit of each candidate it names.
    • Campaign media that cannot be accurately measured such as chalk outlines or other creations are allowed.
    • Candidates are allowed one campaign account per social media website for the purpose of campaigning. Candidates for President and Vice President are allowed one per team.
    • Candidates will be allowed to distribute stickers, buttons, nametags, adhesive items, or other small promotional items as long as caution is taken.
    • All campaign materials must comply with all rules and regulations set forth in the UA Little Rock Student Handbook.
  • Donaghey Student Center Sign Regulations
    • Campaign material may only be displayed in the following two locations within the Donaghey Student Center:
      • Bulletin Board in the Lower Concourse next to the ATMs
      • SGA Campaign board located in the upper concourse of the DSC
      • SGA Campaign board located in the foyer area of the DSC

Section 5 – Ballot Composition

  • Drawing
    • The ballot order of the candidates for each position will be determined by a drawing at a time specified by the Court and preceding the election.
      • If a candidate holds a SGA position at the time of election, the ballot will show the candidate’s SGA title beside the candidate’s name.
    • The Chief Justice will preside at the drawing.
    • Each candidate will be given the opportunity to draw for a ballot position.
    • The candidates for each position will draw in the order in which they filed their applications for candidacy.
  • Special procedures for presidential elections
    • On the ballot, the positions of President and Vice President will be listed beside each other.
    • There will be one drawing for the two races (Presidential and Vice Presidential).
    • The candidates for President shall draw for ballot positions in the order in which they filed.
    • The ballot positions drawn by a candidate for President will also be the ballot position of the candidate for Vice President running with them on the same ticket.
    • In the election for President and Vice-President, one vote will be cast jointly for the two (2) candidates on the same ticket.

Section 6 – Election Day Campaigning

  • In the week of the election, candidates are allowed one (1) table in the DSC for the purposes of displaying or distributing campaign materials.
  • All campaign materials must be removed no later than two school days after the election. After that time, anyone may remove campaign materials.
  • If UA Little Rock charges SGA for the removal of campaign materials, the cost of removal will be charged to the candidate involved.
  • Campaign material removed by election officials will be stored in the SGA office until the third day after election.

Section 7 – Run-off Elections

  • For each Senate position, the candidate receiving the greatest number of votes cast will be declared elected.
  • The candidates for President and Vice President receiving a majority (51%) of the legal votes cast will be declared elected.
  • If none of the candidates for President and Vice President receive a majority, a run-off election will be held between the candidates (i.e. the two tickets for President, Vice-President) receiving the greatest number of legal votes cast.
    • The run-off election will be held on two (2) consecutive days.
    • The run-off election will be conducted in the same manner as the general election.
    • The ballot order in the run-off election will be determined the same manner as the general election.
    • All other provisions and procedures stated in the Election Code will remain intact for the run-off election.
    • The candidates for President and Vice President receiving the greatest number of legal votes cast in the run-off election will be declared elected.

Section 8 – Counting Procedures

  • As soon as the ballot closes at 11:59 p.m. on the last day of the election, the votes will be electronically tallied via Qualtrics survey tool. This is the only time the votes will be counted (unless a dispute arises). The results will be announced to the campus by 10:00 a.m. on the subsequent Monday.
  • The winners of the election will be announced to the campus via email by 10:00 a.m. on the subsequent Monday.
  • Any other special paper ballots will be added to the tabulated total votes.
    • Per Section 5, Clause C, Subclause 2, “special paper ballots must be turned in to the SEC by 5:00 p.m. on the final day of the election to be included in the vote tallying, unless otherwise provided by the Senate.”
    • If special paper ballots are submitted, the Chief Justice, as vote manager, will verify the votes in the presence of the Student Court and SGA advisor.
      • If the Chief Justice is running for an office, the Executive Oversight Committee (EOC) will appoint an Interim Chief Justice to officiate the election.
      • The appointment of a temporary Chief Justice must be confirmed by a two-third (2/3) Senate vote.

ARTICLE III – ENFORCEMENT

Section 1 – Freedom of Conscience

No person or group, whether it be a student group or an unaffiliated group, will coerce any student or in any manner attempt to unduly influence a student’s vote.

Section 2 – Appeal of Elections

  • The Senate has sole power to disqualify candidates and to void elections.
  • Any student may protest an election at the Senate meeting at which the election results are certified.
    • The protest must be presented in writing and in person: first to the Student Court preceding the meeting of the Senate, and secondly, to the Senate.
    • The protest must include
      • The nature of the alleged violation
      • The time of the alleged violation
      • The place of the alleged violation
      • The signature of any witnesses to the alleged violation
    • A two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Senate will be required to approve the recommendation of the Student Court.

Section 3 – Penalties

  • Before and during the election, only the Chief Justice or their designee, with the concurrence of the President Pro-Tempore or their designee, may impose a penalty for the violation of the election laws with the exception of disqualification, which must be approved by the Senate.
  • No penalty may be imposed after the vote of an election is certified.
  • Any penalty is appealable to the Senate during the meeting at which the election results are certified.
  • The following measures are authorized at the discretion of the Chief Justice and President Pro-Tempore and do not require approval of the Senate except for disqualification.
    • Excessive posters, flyers, billboards:
      • 1st Violation: removal of material within 24 hours and a warning by election officials;
      • 2nd Violation: disqualification
    • Distribution or posting of campaign materials, whether physical or electronic, prior to completion of candidate orientation:
      • 1st Violation: removal of material within 24 hours and a warning by election officials;
      • 2nd Violation: disqualification
    • Use of off-campus media, off-campus signs, or improper posting of campaign materials:  disqualification
    • Campaigning too near polls:
      • 1st Violation: warning by election officials;
      • 2nd and 3rd Violations: fine (not to exceed $25.00 total);
      • 4th Violation: disqualification
    • Voter coercion or illegal voting practices:  immediate disqualification of candidates, reporting of candidates and non-candidates to the Dean of Students Office.
    • Unauthorized approval of campaign materials:  disqualification of candidates, reporting of candidates and non-candidates to the Dean of Students Office.
    • Other campaign violations as determined by consensus decision of the Chief Justice and the President Pro-Tempore:
      • Fines (not to exceed $25.00 in total);
      • For three (3) serious violations of election laws: disqualification
    • Disqualification will result in a student being declared Not in Good Standing in SGA.

Not in Good Standing Clause

This status shall prevent the student from holding any elected or appointed position in SGA.  The only way to reverse this status shall be to appear before the full Senate and appeal your case. After having heard the student’s appeal, the Senate may, with a two-thirds (2/3) vote, remove the status. A student may only appeal this status after six (6) months have passed from the onset of this remedy or the last appeal attempt.