Rebecca McKinsey • Staff Writer • rm279109@ohio.edu
Before 24 hours of Student Senate campaigning had passed, both tickets were cited for violations of campaign rules.
Prepare to Engage, Act, and Respond, whose ticket is being led by current City and County Affairs commissioner Emily Hanford, was cited for launching its campaign website, votepear.com, too early. Campaigns are not allowed to begin until 30 days before the election.
It was an accident; we were trying to get prepared
Hanford said. When it was up it wasn't even a complete website. And unfortunately they caught us
but we fixed the problem.
Hanford added that the incident took place when the website was being tested about two weeks before campaigning started.
P.E.A.R. received a written warning for the early launch of its website and a $5 fine for the early appearance of its blog, which included campaign materials, said Matt Denhart, chairman of the senate's Board of Elections.
SOUND, led by current Academic Affairs commissioner Jesse Neader, was cited last Tuesday for hanging flyers in non-designated areas, Denhart said. University rules state that flyers can be placed only in areas designated for posting, such as bulletin boards. SOUND members hung a flyer on a door in Porter Hall.
We addressed it
Neader said. We apologized and took it down.
A written warning was issued to SOUND for the violation.
On the first day of campaigning, both tickets blanketed the campus with chalked messages, violating another rule banning any type of writing or drawing on public walkways, Denhart said. The Board of Elections decided to let each ticket off with a warning, since the incident has been seen before and both tickets violated the rule.
Denhart said violations are investigated after someone files a complaint. The Board of Elections decides if a violation occurred, how serious it is, and what the punishment will be.
More severe violations can include negative campaigning and buying votes, Denhart said. The penalties for more major violations can range from $25 to $200, and the Board of Elections can disqualify candidates for repeated offenses.
I wouldn't say (negative campaigning) is common
but I think that last year there was one incident of that
Denhart said.
Denhart added that the rules are adopted by the senate and enforced by the board.
They were more or less honest mistakes
misunderstandings of the rules
Denhart said.
Both presidential candidates said their campaigning has not been impeded by the violations.
There have been minor violations all over the place
Neader said. They happen.
