The Student Government Election Commission issued a warning to the Students Party Thursday for violating election codes and campaigning prior to the correct time period allotted.
Campaigning began a week before the first day of elections, according to the codes. But Students Party Campaign Manager Dave Bradshaw wrote a guest column in the Alligator Sept. 24 that the commission ruled as campaigning.
Bradshaw mentioned that this Summer, the Swamp Party passed new election codes he believed to be “absurd.”
Election Commissioner Marcus Powers said he believed Bradshaw’s inclusion of party names made it campaigning. All the commissioners agreed with Powers except Matthew McCann.
McCann said the intention of the article was to inform students about what Bradshaw believed was a flawed system. Party information was supplementary, he said.
Mohamad Shatara, who also spoke on behalf of the Students Party, asked the commission to clarify the difference between “campaigning” and “campaign activity” because the latter starts four weeks before the election.
The Students Party plans to take the issue to the UF Supreme Court.
The Election Commission will hear more complaints Sunday.
Contact Samantha Shavell at sshavell@alligator.org.
