In Wednesday’s editorial, we discussed some potential problems with the language of Student Government election codes.
Specifically, we looked at code 762.0, which requires that all campaign material or all print and electronic material promoting a candidate or political party must bear the phrase “Registered Political Advertisement.”
This obviously has some troubling implications for free speech, but another code also deserves scrutiny.
Election code 761.1 states, “Campaigning begins on the first day of the active election cycle.” The election cycle begins on the fourth Tuesday prior to the first day of elections.
In election code 700.4, campaigning is defined as “any intentional action in support of, or in opposition to, a candidate or political party for an elective student body office, including, but not limited to the distribution of literature and posting of materials.”
It does not include wearing T-shirts or buttons, “unless accompanied by the dissemination of campaign literature or the delivery of a campaign speech to solicit support for a candidate or political party.”
While election code 761.1 does not state that campaigning “cannot” occur prior to the active election cycle, does this code imply that student senators, potential candidates and members of SG political parties are prohibited from performing any action that supports or opposes a candidate or party before this “election cycle” begins?
If that is the case, the implications of this code for free speech are just as troubling as the code we discussed yesterday.
Students who want to represent the Student Body in SG should be allowed to openly discuss these issues at any point in the semester. They should be allowed to declare and start promoting themselves whenever they want.
When students campaign for SG, they are hopefully not just saying, “Vote for me.” They are spreading awareness of campus issues, proposing solutions and promoting the idea that students should have a voice when it comes to how our campus should grow.
These actions should not be relegated to a specific period of time. Instead, they should be promoted as a regular occurrence on campus.
Of course, there can be limits on the ability of parties to set up tables and berate students with fliers; this is still a university with functions other than student politics.
However, the language of the current codes creates a chilling effect on almost all SG-related speech.
While trying to curtail corruption and fraud is noble, these codes attempt to do so at the expense of free speech and open discussion.
We ask members of SG to find less draconian ways of encouraging a fair, but open, election process.
