Election Rules

1. During the term of the current Executive Council or until the Constitution may be amended, the candidates in SGA elections will be given the right to know the results of their election upon request.
2. Candidates must contact the President of the Senior Class or the current Vice President of Student Life within one week after the election in order to call for a recount. The ballots will be destroyed one week after the election. The Vice President of Student Life will be present during any recount.
3. In an Executive Council or Class Presidential election, a candidate must win by a 50% + 1 vote to be declared a winner. In the event that one person does not receive 50% + 1 vote, there will be a run-off that involves the two people that received the largest plurality in the first election.
4. If six candidates or less are running in a class representative election, the top four pluralities will be the class representatives. If more than six candidates are running in a class representative election, divide the next whole number in order to arrive at the number of candidates who will run in the run-off. This said number of pluralities in eh run-off will be class representatives.
5. The ballot box will be locked at all times. The votes will not be counted until the election is over. There will be three people present when votes are counted: at least one Executive Council member (who may not be running in the election), the Senior Class President, and a member of the staff of the Student Activities Office.
6. No proxy voting or absentee ballots (from students abroad) will be tolerated.
7. No candidate shall be allowed to serve simultaneously in any of the following offices: President, VP, Treasurer, Secretary, Honor Council Chairperson, SUB President, MSU President, IFC or Panhellenic President, Student Publications Board Chair, Religious Life Chair, Residence Life Committee Chairperson, Conservation Committee Chairperson, Food Committee Chairperson, Student Athlete Advisory Council President, Class President, Class Representative, Chair of Campaign Giving Committee(s), or other Committee Chairs designated by the President.
8. In order to be eligible to be a candidate, a student must have a cumulative GPA of 2.0. Grades will be subject to review and checked at Midterm and Finals. If grades are subpar, the Executive Council will review the status.
9. All candidates in SGA elections are to act in accordance with the SGA Constitution.
10. All Write-in candidates must follow election rules and act in accordance with the SGA Constitution.

Campaigning

11. A candidate may contact another student to assist in the campaign efforts, but a candidate may not solicit through mail, email, phone, or any other means of telecommunication (Facebook is an exception to this rule). A candidate may not libel or slander any other candidate.
12. Posters may be affixed to the outside of all sign approved building but not on the inside of any building (except residence halls). No banners larger than standard poster board size may be hung from any building. No posters may hang on glass or trees.
13. All candidates are responsible for removing residue left by tape and any trash created by their campaign within one week following the day of the election. If a candidate fails to do so, a $50 fine may result.
14. No candidates or someone acting on behalf of the candidate may campaign inside/outside of the voting area in Springs or outside of GDH on election day within fifty feet of the building.
15. No table tents, microphones, public announcements or group cheers may be used on behalf of any candidate in any building on campus.
16. Candidates will not be able to run as a team (ex. Not on signs or through any other contacting means described above).
17. Sidewalk chalk is not permitted on steps, on buildings, or anywhere where it cannot be washed off by rain. Sidewalk chalk may not be used under awnings.
18. Sidewalk chalk and campaign signs, etc. are not permitted on, inside, or near Belk Auditorium, Edmunds Hall, or Smith Administration Building.
19. Candidates must be in their rooms from 5 pm until they are contacted on all voting and run-off days unless another arrangement is worked out with the Senior Class President.
20. No food items may be passed out by candidates at any time during the campaign, including during speeches.
21. Only flyers, handbills, stickers or buttons, may be passed out by candidates. No gift items may be given away by candidates or someone acting on behalf of candidates (this includes, but is not limited to pencils, t-shirts, koozies, etc.).
22. Any materials aside from the aforementioned must be approved by the Senior Class President.

Broken Rules: If a candidate or someone on behalf of the candidate breaks a rule the result will be as follows: (SGA President, Senior Class President, and the Honor Council Chairperson will determine penalties which are usually as follows)

First Offense: Warning

Second Offense: Penalized or fined (fine $50)

Third Offense: Removal from race

Click here to print a Word Document version of the SGFC Bylaws.