Election Commission to Campaigns: Stop Being a 'Nuisance'

With just one day to go before voting opens in the Undergraduate Council's Presidential election, the UC Election Commission has a message to campaigns: don't hang your campaign posters under other posters and don't campaign outside Annenberg!

In an e-mail to the UC general list, the Election Commission declared campaigning outside Annenberg to be "disruptive of the student/freshman dining experience."

In response to that e-mail, one representative questioned whether a rule actually existed that prohibits campaigns from standing outside the dining hall.

"In general, Campaigning is prohibited in any location where it would cause a general nuisance," replied the Commission.

Representatives and others on the UC e-mail list were not satisfied with the Commission's response.

"What does that even mean? Where on earth could you possibly campaign without causing the public some sort of general nuisance?" wrote one member.

The official response from the Election Commission was terse, informing UC members that rules are created and enforced "at EC discretion." In a follow-up e-mail, the Commission added, "If you have questions about campaign activity, ask before doing them, not after."

In yet another e-mail, the Commission clarified its stance on campaign posters. According to the Commission, a poster may be placed near another campaign poster. However, it may not, under any circumstance, be placed underneath another campaign poster because "it gives the impression that the other candidate postered over your poster."

Violations of this rule have resulted in the Commission issuing multiple fines to campaigns. Violations limit campaigns in their ability to spend as each ticket is prohibited from exceeding a $400 spending cap.

Below are the campaign violations from this year's race, in the order they've been released:

George - Granath: $10 (poster and/or e-mail violation)

Raghuveer - Zhu: $20 (poster and/or e-mail violation)

Sharma - Sharma: $40 (poster and/or e-mail violation)

Sharma-Sharma : $5 (poster violation)

George-Granath: $30 (poster violation)

Raghuveer-Zhu: $10 (poster violation)

George-Granath:  $30 (poster and campaign finance violation)

Goodman-McLeod: $25 (poster and campaign finance violation)

Sharma-Sharma: $25 (poster and campaign finance violation)

Raghuveer-Zhu: $20 (poster and campaign finance violation)

Violation Totals:

George-Granath: $70

Goodman-McLeod: $25

Raghuveer-Zhu: $50

Sharma-Sharma: $70

Is the EC trying to maintain a level playing field, or is it on a power trip? Let us know in the comments section below, and check Flyby and thecrimson.com for updates on the UC race.