Students Union Elections Nomination Package

Transcription

1 Students Union Elections Nomination Package

2 Table of Contents Message from the Chief Returning Officer:... 3 Election Staff... 4 Positions on the Student Legislative Council (SLC)... 4 Nomination Information... 4 Nomination Forms... 5 Withdrawing Your Nomination... 5 Official Agents... 5 Acclamations... 5 All Candidates Meeting... 5 Platform Submission Guidelines... 6 Election Document Checklist... 6 Extended Campaign Platform Submission Guidelines... 7 Photograph Guidelines... 7 Campaign Expenses Information... 7 Election Grants... 7 Election Reimbursements... 7 Calculating Costs... 8 Voting Procedure... 8 Observing the Voting... 8 Election Infractions... 9 Election Complaints... 9 The Review Board- Recounts and Appeals... 9 General Rules... 9 CRO Election Recount Nomination Appeals Election Appeal Review Board Election Recount Declaration of Candidacy Form Candidate Nomination Form Statement of Agent Election Grant Application Candidate Statement of Expenses P a g e

3 Message from the Chief Returning Officer: I would like to start by welcoming you to the Students Union Elections! On behalf of the Election Committee and all the members of our Students Union, we would like to thank you for your interest in the available positions. Being part of the electoral process is an exciting time, so make the most of it! Enjoy campaigning, meeting students and use your platform to get your ideas out there. We hope that through this experience you are able to learn a little bit more about your campus, your peers and especially yourself. The Student Legislative Council is an essential component of student life here at the University of Calgary. These student members are part of the highest governing body of the Students Union. Their focus is to enrich the undergrad experience for over 25,000 students at the University of Calgary. This Nomination Package is your initial guide to participating in the election. It has been provided to you as a reference to the policies and procedures that govern the election and your campaign. However, the Nomination Package may not contain all the information you need, so make sure to fully go through the SU Bylaws and the SU Election Operations Procedures (EOP). There are also addendums to this package based on the position you are running for, so make sure to read those as well. Please carefully note the deadlines set out in the election timeline. The responsibility to submit your forms on time is solely your responsibility. Absolutely no late nomination forms will be accepted and no extensions will be granted. If you encounter any problems, please bring them to the attention of the Chief Returning Officer ( CRO ) immediately to allow for appropriate resolution prior to the submission deadline. An improperly completed or incomplete nomination form(s) could result in your disqualification from office if you are elected. As indicated prior, Candidates are responsible for ensuring that the election rules outlined in the Election Bylaws and Election Operations Procedures and in this Nomination Package are followed. If you feel that the election rules have been broken and your chances for election have been affected, you are responsible for filing a complaint to the CRO. The SU Election Staff will endeavour to fully inform all candidates and groups of the election rules don t hesitate to ask if you have a question. We can be reached at elections@su.ucalgary.ca or leave a message at Good luck! Christopher Yan * All deadlines for submissions to the Students Union office will be strictly enforced in accordance with the SU reception clock.* 3 P a g e

4 Election Staff The following are personnel who may assist you in the election process. Election staff can be reached by at: or at Chief Returning Officer (CRO) - The CRO administers all elections to ensure that the provisions of the SU Bylaws and Elections Operations Procedure (EOP) are followed and enforced. The CRO is appointed by a majority vote of the Student Legislative Council but maintains complete independence of the SU. The current CRO is Christopher Yan. Returning Officers (ROs) - Returning Officers provide clerical support, supervise polling station staff, monitor and enforce poster and banner rules and may have other assigned duties. Their main role is to assist the CRO with administrative tasks. Deputy Returning Officers (DROs) - Deputy Returning Officers main role is to supervise the secret ballot voting process, record voter or candidate complaints and answer voter questions. Senior Coordinator, Programs and Services (SCPS): This invidual is a full time staff person at the Students Union and is responsible for overseeing all election related issues, including logistics, procedures and staff. Positions on the Student Legislative Council (SLC) The following positions are vacant for the 2014 SU By Election and can be contested by active members currently enrolled in the respective faculty: Nursing Faculty Representative (1) Social Work Faculty Representative (1) Nomination Information Nomination Days will be held on September 29, September 30 and October 1, Forms may be submitted between 10 am and 2 pm on each of the above days. Late or incomplete forms will not be accepted. Nomination packages will be available at the Students Union office starting September 15, Nomination packages are also available on the Students Union website at: All completed forms and supplementary documents, such as election platforms must be delivered to the Students Union office during the designated hours 10 am to 2 pm on Nomination Days During the Nomination Days, all positions will remain open for you to submit your candidacy until the end of Nominations on October 1 at 2 pm. Note the date for sumbmission of the Election Grant forms is the Friday prior to Nomination Days. 4 P a g e

5 Nomination Forms Only forms issued in this package and containing valid signatures will be considered as official. The names of each candidate will appear by surname, first name on the ballot. Changes are not permitted after the closing of Nominations. Nicknames may be permitted or refused upon the discretion of the CRO. Ensuring that your Declaration of Candidacy Form and Nomination Form(s) are complete and are signed by sufficient numbers of eligible voters is entirely the candidate s responsibility. Election staff will check the validity of the nomination forms. Improperly completed forms can be resubmitted before the deadline. However, no extensions will be granted if an error is found and the deadline passed. If you encounter any problems, please bring them to the attention of the CRO immediately, so he/she can attempt to resolve the issue prior to the deadline. An improperly completed nomination form(s) could result in your disqualification from office if you are elected. Under no circumstances is the CRO or Election Staff responsible for the implications of an application not submitted prior to the deadline. If necessary a candidate can appoint a representative to submit nomination forms as long as they have witnessed your signature on the Declaration of Candidacy Form. Only the signatures of eligible Active Members will be considered valid for nominations. Withdrawing Your Nomination Candidates who decide to withdraw their nomination must do so within 24 hours of submitting their documents or before 2:00pm on October 1, 2014, whichever date or time is earlier. Your withdrawal will only be approved if the position will still be contested amongst the remaining nominees running for that position If there is the same number or fewer candidates than there are positions in your election race, your withdrawal of nomination will not be approved and you will be elected by acclamation. Official Agents You do not need to have an official agent to run in a Students Union election. However, if you wish to have an agent to assist you in campaigning, the person must complete a Statement of Agent form and submit the form with your nomination documents. Acclamations Positions can be filled by acclamation. If only one person is nominated for any position, the person will be acclaimed; The CRO will acclaim the persons elected at the end of the nomination process, and no votes will be held for that race. All Candidates Meeting The All-Candidates Meeting is a COMPULSORY meeting held to review the rules of campaigning and election procedures. All candidates and their official agents must attend one meeting. By not attending the All-Candidates meetings, the candidate will automatically be disqualified and removed from the electoral process 5 P a g e

6 All-Candidates Meeting (Mandatory) Thursday October 2, 2014 in Desdemona - 4:00 pm Depending on the number of interested candidates, a campaign poster workshop may be offered at 6pm following the All-Candidates Meeting. Platform Submission Guidelines The SU offers you a number of opportunities to inform voters about your platform, your plans to improve student life as well as why you feel you would be an effective representative for your constituents. You can submit your platform ideas and photograph to be included: 1) On the Students Union Election website Page one; Photograph and 300 word Election Platform 2) An optional second page on the Students Union Election website for your extended campaign platform (max 700 words). 3) SU produced Gauntlet Supplement - Photograph and 300 word Election Platform Your platform ideas and photograph must be submitted along with your Declaration of Candidacy and Nomination Form(s) during Nomination Days. Important: Please ensure you have proofed your work. Text will not be edited for spelling or grammar; Platforms may be no more than 300 words. Text exceeding the limit will be cut off at the maximum allowable number of words and no editing will occur; Text should be black and white and single spaced; Italicised or bolded text will not appear in the supplement; Candidate photograph will be included. Election Document Checklist When submitting the Nomination Package the CRO will be looking for: Declaration of Candidacy Form; Nomination Forms; A digital copy (CD or USB key) of your: Campaign platform for the Gauntlet and SU website Extended campaign platform and campaign links for the SU website (optional) Digital Photograph o You must be the only person in the photo (i.e. No group shots) o Your photo will likely be cropped. We recommend submitting a headshot with minimum 400 pixels wide. Please ensure all digital filenames include your surname. E.g. CampaignPlatform2014_JSmith.doc 6 P a g e

7 Extended Campaign Platform Submission Guidelines The SU will provide additional space for each candidate to include: Extended campaign platform (max 700 words); YouTube link to your election video Link to your own webpage. Photograph Guidelines You should be the only person in the picture; The image must be of you; The image will be cropped if necessary; Your image will not be returned; Maximum dimensions 3 x 5 inches, minimum 1.5 x 2 inches; Minimum 400 pixels wide Acceptable formats: JPEG (not compressed) and TIFF; Please ensure all digital filenames include your surname. E.g. CampaignPhoto2014_JSmith.jpg Campaign Expenses Information All candidates and campaign groups are eligible to receive assistance for campaign expenses from the Students Union equal to the maximum allowable expenditure for the position sought. Election Grants Persons seeking nomination may apply for an Election Grant from the Students Union for 100% of the spending limit for the position they are running for. To apply for a grant, you must complete the Election Grant Application Form. The completed form must be submitted to the Students Union office by 4:00 pm, on the Friday before Nomination Days begin (September 26, 2014). Candidates receiving a grant must submit a Statement of Election Expense Form by 4 pm on the last day of voting. Failure to submit the campaign expenses by the prescribed time will result in a sanction or total forfeiture of the campaign grant for any campaign expenses. Upon approval of the expenses at the end of the Election, all candidates must remit to the Students Union the difference between the total value of their campaign grant and the total value of valid expenses, as determined by the SU Senior Coordinator, Programs and Services, no more than ten business days after the close of voting. Election Reimbursements Candidates and campaign groups who do not apply for an election grant are eligible to receive a reimbursement from the Students Union. Candidates may not spend more than the maximum allowable amount for the position they are running for. 7 P a g e

8 A Statement of Election Expenses form must be submitted for each candidate, along with corresponding receipts by no later than 4:00 pm on the last day of voting. Failure to submit the campaign expenses by the prescribed time may result in a sanction or not being reimbursed for any campaign expenses. Calculating Costs Receipts must reflect the spending of an individual candidate. If the final budget is over the allowable spending limit, candidates may face disqualification. Donations are not permitted. Discounted campaign materials or items are only permitted if the discount was readily available to any possible candidate. The candidate may or may not be reiumbursed for unreciepted items, based on the discretion of the Senior Coordinator, Programs and Services. Voting Procedure Voting will take place in a two-pronged approach. Internet voting through University of Calgary Student Centre online portal, as well as polling stations located around campus during Voting Days. The online ballot will be available from 9:00 am on the first day of voting until 4:00 pm on the last day of voting. All eligible voters will be able to enter through U of C Student Centre using their valid EID and password. Students will be able to vote at any computer, although polling stations will be set up in select locations on campus with terminals where voting can occur. A person who is found using another student s ID or gives away the use of their student ID and password will be asked to appear in front of the Review Board and may lose their SU privileges for the rest of their university career. Voter fraud will not be tolerated. Only active members, in good standing of the Students Union may vote. Paper ballots are only used in case of an emergency, such as if the online portal was facing technical issues. Returning Officers do not have the right to prevent an individual from voting with a paper ballot if they take the written oath indicating they are eligible to vote in the election. However, an accurate register of all persons voting will be kept. If an ineligible person votes in an election, a candidate or voter may appeal to the Review Board, and the person s Students Union privileges may be suspended for the duration of their university career. Any eligible voters wishing to vote at a polling station at closing time will be permitted to vote, except on the final day of voting. Deputy Returning Officers will inform voters of proper voting procedures if the voter asks for the information. Observing the Voting Candidates, campaign group leaders and official agents have the right to observe voting at any voting station. You may be asked to identify yourself by the Deputy Returning Officer (DRO), and the DRO has the right to designate an area where you can observe the voting from. You cannot campaign anywhere near a voting station (20m) and you cannot interfere with voters when they are voting, especially to ask who they will or have voted for; If you have reason to believe a voter is not eligible to vote (they have already voted, they are not who they say they are), you can object to the voter. The DRO cannot stop the voter from voting, but your objection will be documented. 8 P a g e

9 Election Infractions While the Students Union and the Elections Committee make every effort to ensure that elections are run in a fair manner that gives all candidates a democratic opportunity to win student votes, the onus is on the candidate or group to ensure that their nominations and campaigns adhere to the election rules. All potential candidates are strongly encouraged to familiarize themselves with the contents of the SU Bylaw, the Election Operations Procedures and the Nomination Package. It is also suggested that each candidate make their respective campaign teams fully aware of the election rules and their importance. Any breach or infraction of the content of these documents, by an authorized member of a campaign team, will be imputed to such candidate, and such candidate will be held accountable for the breach or infraction. Election Complaints There are times when candidates or voters feel that election rules have not been followed. The Students Union has established a system of justice designed to interpret and rule on election-related bylaw and procedure infractions. Complaints can generally be categorized into two types: 1. Complaints about the personal or professional behaviour of Elections Committee members, candidates, or voters (separate from the election process itself). This complaint form has no authority to change an election result or cause order of a new election. 2. Complaints regarding the conduct of the U of C Students Union Elections (rules, counts, etc.) or a contravention of bylaws or procedures that are believed to have substantively affected the results of the election. The Election Complaint form is available at the front desk of the Students Union Office or can be obtained by visiting the SU website. Note: All complaints must be written on the appropriate form and be accompanied by evidence, as well as note of which section of the Elections Operations Procedure has been violated. Once a complaint is received it will be handled by one member of the Election Staff. Multiple complaints to different members of the Election staff regarding the same issue will not be accepted. If the issue is not resolved and there is enough evidence that a fair election was not held an appeal can be made to the SU Review Board. The Students Union staff will be able to provide more information on how to make submissions to the SU Review Board. The Review Board- Recounts and Appeals General Rules Filing of any requests to the Review Board is done by submitting evidence and an appeal letter to the Students Union front office (MSC 251). A template is available for the appeal. Make sure you let the front office staff knows that the material is for the Review Board, and that they put the date and time received on the material. The time received placed on the material will be the time indicated on the clock in the Students Union office. If you are a party to a Review Board hearing, whether you are making the appeal or you are a respondent to an appeal, all information, evidence, and a list of witnesses must be included in your original submission. 9 P a g e

10 The Review Board, at its discretion, may refuse to hear information, evidence or witnesses not included in a person s original written submission. CRO Election Recount The deadline for requesting a recount from the CRO is 4 pm on October 21, A written request must be submitted to the Students Union reception in MSC 251. Nomination Appeals All hearings regarding invalid nominations are heard after the election is over. Candidates or voters wishing to make an application to the Review Board on a nomination must submit their application to the SU office by 4:00pm on October 25, Election Appeal If you feel there was a violation of the SU Bylaws and EOP that substantively affected the results of your election race, you have until 4:00 pm on October 25, 2014 to submit a written appeal to the Review Board; You can receive a prescribed Review Board Appeal Form from the SU Office at any point after the unofficial election results have been posted. Review Board Election Recount The deadline for requesting a recount from the Review Board chair is 4:00 pm on October 25, Applications must be submitted to the Students Union reception in MSC P a g e

11 Students Union Elections Forms 11 P a g e

12 Declaration of Candidacy Form I, do hereby declare my candidacy for the position of: (Print full name as it should appear on the ballot) CONTACT INFORMATION Student ID Number Address Home Phone Cell Phone Postal Code By affixing my signature below, I hereby affirm my intent to abide by the Students Union Bylaw and Election Operations Procedure. I affirm that I have read and understand the entire contents of the Nomination Package, the bylaws and procedures. I recognize that failure to abide by the SU Bylaws, the Election Operation Procedures and guidelines of the Election Nomination Package may lead to my disqualification as a candidate and the suspension of some or all of my Students Union privileges. I further affirm my intent to accept office if elected in the 2014 Students Union Election for the above stated position. Name of candidate AFFIRMED before me Signature of candidate Signature of Election Staff member Witness of Candidate Signature Witness Name Witness Student ID number This day of, 201_ 12 P a g e

13 Candidate Nomination Form We, the undersigned active members of the Students Union, support the nomination of for the position of in the 2014 Students Union By-Election. SIGNATURES OF ELIGIBLE ELECTORS TO VOTE IN THIS ELECTION Printed Name Of Elector ID Number Faculty Signature 13 P a g e

14 Candidate Nomination Form- Continued We, the undersigned active members of the Students Union, support the nomination of for the position of in the 2014 Students Union By-Election. SIGNATURES OF ELIGIBLE ELECTORS TO VOTE IN THIS ELECTION Printed Name Of Elector ID Number Faculty Signature 14 P a g e

15 Candidate Nomination Form- Continued We, the undersigned active members of the Students Union, support the nomination of for the position of in the 2014 Students Union By-Election. SIGNATURES OF ELIGIBLE ELECTORS TO VOTE IN THIS ELECTION Printed Name Of Elector ID Number Faculty Signature 15 P a g e

16 Candidate Nomination Form- Continued We, the undersigned active members of the Students Union, support the nomination of for the position of in the 2014 Students Union By-Election. SIGNATURES OF ELIGIBLE ELECTORS TO VOTE IN THIS ELECTION Printed Name Of Elector ID Number Faculty Signature 16 P a g e

17 Candidate Nomination Form- Continued We, the undersigned active members of the Students Union, support the nomination of for the position of in the 2014 Students Union By-Election. SIGNATURES OF ELIGIBLE ELECTORS TO VOTE IN THIS ELECTION Printed Name Of Elector ID Number Faculty Signature 17 P a g e

18 Statement of Agent I, am an Active Member of the University of Calgary (Print full name as it should appear on the ballot) Students Union. For the purpose of the election, I will act as an agent on behalf of and the position that the candidate is nominated for. CONTACT INFORMATION Student ID Number Address Home Phone Cell Phone Postal Code By affixing my signature below, I hereby affirm: THAT I am eligible under the Election Procedure to be an official agent; and THAT I have read and understood the complete Students Union Bylaws and Election Operations Procedure. AFFIRMED before me Signature of Agent Signature of Election Staff member This day of, 201_ 18 P a g e

19 Election Grant Application CONTACT INFORMATION Name Student ID Number Faculty Address Home Phone Cell Phone Office Sought Postal Code I,, affirm: That I will use the grant money only for expenses related to my Students Union election campaign; and That I will truthfully complete the campaign expenses form and provide receipts by 4:00 pm on the last day of voting; and That, if I do not spend all of my election grant, I will remit the remaining money to The Students Union within 10 business days of the close of voting; and That failure to remit the remaining money may result in the suspension of my Students Union privileges and withholding University services; and That I have read and understood the complete Students Union Bylaws, Election Operations Procedure and Nomination Package. AFFIRMED before me Signature of Candidate Signature of Election Staff member This day of, 201_ 19 P a g e

20 Candidate Statement of Expenses CONTACT INFORMATION Name Address Phone Check this box if you received an election grant Postal Code NOTE: ONLY EXPENSES ACCOMPANIED BY A RECEIPT ARE ELIGILBE FOR REIMBURSEMENT. NON-RECEIPTED EXPENSES MAY BE REIUMBURSED AT THE DISCRETION OF THE STUDENTS UNION STAFF. Receipted Expenses Non-Receipted Expenses Item Description Cost GST Total Item Description Cost GST Total TOTAL (each column) TOTAL (each column) 20 P a g e