EAC sets new rules for elections
This year's Election Advisory Committee has tried to avoid last year's poster defamation controversies and confusion regarding write-in candidates by establishing clearer and stricter campaign regulations. The new rules are not only more stringent, but also are intended to be more carefully enforced. This year's campaign rules, which were distributed to all candidates at two mandatory meetings last month, warn candidates "the EAC has adopted the philosophy of, one violation and the candidate is disqualified." The EAC warned both official and write-in candidates that they can be disqualified if EAC members merely "believe that the campaign rules were violated." The EAC says it may disqualify candidates it believes to have engaged in "libel or slander." "We are taking campaign violations more seriously this year," said Collis Center Director Mark Hoffman, who chairs the EAC. Candidates for Student Assembly president and vice president have a $125 spending limit for their campaigns. Class officer candidates are permitted to spend $100, while Committee on Standards candidates are allowed no more than $50. All other candidates are limited to $35. Additional rules govern the size and location of posters and prohibit their defamation or removal. "Tearing down, defacing or tampering with a competitor's poster in any way will result in disqualification," according to the EAC's election rules. Campaign posters can be no larger than 11" by 17" and may only be posted on bulletin boards and the doors of candidates and their supporters. The rules also allow each candidate one Hinman Box mass mailing. This year's elections will again be held on-line, despite the computer problems which delayed results and forced a second vice-presidential ballot last year. Past campus elections have suffered serious problems, including allegations of overspending in 1994, early campaigning in 1995 and last year's confusion over write-in candidates and posters.