Election Code
ASSOCIATED STUDENTS OF
LINN-BENTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE
ELECTION CODE
I. Applications:
A. Election of Associated Student Government officers shall be held during the eighth week of winter term.
B. A minimum of fourteen (14) school days will be allowed for applications to be picked up, filled out, signed, and returned. Students picking up applications will sign out the application with their name, date, phone, and application number.
C. When an application is submitted, the date and time of submission will be written on it, and it will be placed in the ASG Applications folder in the Student Life & Leadership office.
D. The Election Committee Chair shall regularly check the file cabinet where received applications are kept.
E. Candidate's name, declared major, and responses to the application questions will be open to the public for viewing and will be available on the official election web site.
F. Each candidate submitting an application shall be issued a copy of the complete application as a receipt.
G. Applications will be available during business hours in the Student Life & Leadership office.
H. Announcements and publicity for ASG elections will begin by the second week of winter term.
II. Campaigning:
A. A candidate may post and/or distribute campaigning materials once a completed application for that candidate has been submitted to the Student Life & Leadership office.
B. A candidate shall not personally campaign indoors within twenty (20) feet of any on campus computer equipped with Internet access that is available during the hours the polls are open on the election days.
C. Campaigning is defined as written or verbal communication with the intent to influence a student to vote for a particular candidate.
D. Candidates may campaign freely while outside of college buildings.
E. All posters, flyers, or anything created for hanging, must follow LBCC's Administrative Rule D105, 'Guidelines for Posting Materials on Campus.'
F. Candidates are solely responsible for cleaning up their campaign materials the day after the polls close.
G. All candidates must limit their campaign costs to fifty dollars ($50).
H. Candidates may use the butcher paper and poster paints located in the Student Life & Leadership office.
I. Student Life & Leadership staff and/or current ASG officers may temporarily restrict this privilege at any time in the interest of controlling waste or abuse of materials.
J. Election committee members shall be notified immediately of any imposed restriction of materials.
K. Election committee members will review all imposed restrictions ASAP and may either reinstate or permanently revoke privileges to use materials.
III. Election Committee:
A. The election committee shall consist of three (3) non-candidate students appointed by the ASG.
B. The election committee shall:
1) Be established by the beginning of winter term.
2) Set dates of elections and publicize elections.
3) Announce available positions and set a deadline for submission of applications.
4) Prepare adequate election publicity.
5) Collaborate with Computer Services and SL&L Department Secretary in the preparation of the election web site.
C. In the unlikely event that the election is interrupted by an unforeseen situation such as a school closure or significant computer problem, the election committee shall have the authority to extend the deadline for voting beyond 11:30 pm on Day 2.
IV. Voting Procedure:
A. In order to vote, a student must be listed in the Registrar's Office as a currently enrolled LBCC student.
B. Eligible voters shall vote using the college's Internet website.
C. Voting instructions shall be clearly written and available on the website.
D. Voters shall contact the Student Life & Leadership office if problems or questions arise.
E. Upon successful entrance into the website ballot window, voters shall have the option of casting a partial or complete ballot.
F. Votes shall NOT automatically default to a particular choice.
G. A running total showing the current count will NOT be allowed.
H. No official or unofficial results will be made available to anyone until the deadline to vote has passed.
I. It is permissible for anyone to ask students if they would like to vote.
V. Polling Places:
A. A polling place on campus is defined as any computer with Internet access that is available to the general student body during the hours the polls are open.
B. A polling place off campus is defined as any computer with Internet access available to an individual voter during the hours the polls are open.
C. Voters are solely responsible for locating a polling place during the hours available for voting.
D. Voters may vote only once anytime between the hours of 7:30 a.m. on Day 1 of the election through 11:30 p.m. on Day 2 of the election.
VI. Ballots and Ballot Counting:
A. The design of the ballot will be a coordinated effort between the SL&L Department Secretary, the elections committee and computer services.
B. Candidates will be listed by the position sought. The specific order in which candidates are listed on the ballot will be determined solely by the order in which the COMPLETED applications were received in the Student Life & Leadership office. Candidates who submit applications for a particular office first will be listed first for that office on the ballot, etc.
C. The computer program used for the election shall automatically count the ballots.
D. Complete election results will be posted at the election website by 12:00 noon on Day 3.
E. A hard copy of election results will be posted in the Student Life & Leadership office for 30 days.
F. A write in candidate must be an eligible student and receive 40% of the votes cast for all eligible students for that office in order to be declared a winner.
G. A write-in candidate who wins an election will be required to notify the ASG advisor, in writing, of their intent to accept the position.
H. A write-in candidate must also submit an application within five (5) school days after the election results are announced.
I. The failure of a write-in candidate to comply with G. and H. above will result in the forfeiture of the position.
VII. Violations of the Election Code:
A. Violations exist if:
1) Any candidate or his/her campaign organization fails to comply with the election code.
2) Candidates do not remove all campaigning material the day after polls close.
3) A candidate campaigns indoors within twenty (20) feet of any on campus computer equipped with Internet access and available to the general student body during the hours the polls are open.
B. Violations of this election code by the candidates shall be grounds for disqualification of the candidate for that election.
C. The election committee and the Dean of Student Services will decide upon all election grievances.
D. The election committee and the Dean of Student Services will review any violation of the election rules after a formal written complaint has been filed during regular business hours in the Student Life & Leadership office (see Grievance Procedure).
VIII. Grievance Procedures:
A. A student or candidate wishing to file a grievance concerning the student elections must file within two (2) school days following announcement of election results.
B. All grievances must be in writing, addressed to the election committee, and filed in the Student Life & Leadership office during regular business hours.
C. All grievances must contain the name, student ID number of the student filing the grievance, nature of the grievance, why it is an issue, and a recommended solution to the grievance.
D. The election committee, under advisement of the Dean of Student Services, will hear and make final judgment on all election grievances within five (5) school days of receiving said grievance.
