The Board of Elections has the sole authority to interpret this chapter, unless there is an appeal.
13.02 Important Election Dates
In the Fall semester, appoint the Board of Elections Chair, a graduate student who is graduating from Ohio University in that academic year.
Before the last meeting of the Fall semester, the entire Board of Elections must be confirmed, and the Board of Elections must bring the applications for new Executive positions to be approved by the GSS body.
The application shall include a section allowing candidates to list clearly defined goals for their candidacy.
Applicants are encouraged to run together on a ticket.
By the last GSS GBM of Fall semester the call for nominations is to be sent out to all graduate students.
Applications for nomination are to include a statement of intent and a brief explanation of why they are an eligible candidate for the position.
Applications must include a list of names equal to 20% of current GSS membership who affirm the applicant is qualified to run for an Executive Position. This list is to be verified by the current Executive board.
The first GSS GBM of Spring semester is to have a dedicated timeslot for potential candidates to introduce themselves to GSS members in order to gather support for their candidacy.
By the end of the 3rd week of Spring semester applications will close.
By the next GSS GBM candidates for the executive positions (based on nominations received) will be announced via email.
On the day of the 3rd GSS GBM elections following Spring Break, elections will be held through an online platform for all graduate students with a minimum 48-hour long voting window.
If no candidate for a position gets 50%+1 of the general votes cast, a run-off election will be held for the top two candidates.
During the next GSS GBM after the elections, election results will be announced.
Following the announcement of election results, transition for the Executive Positions shall begin. Oaths for office shall be taken at the last GSS GBM of the academic year. For Senator Positions:
Applications and nominations will be considered on a rolling basis if the vacancy exists in all semesters except Spring semester.
Colleges may determine their own election process.
Week 8 of spring semester: applications must be open to the public and announced. The application should include a section for the applicant to explain why they are an eligible candidate for the position.
Friday of Week 10 of Spring semester: application is due
Thursday of week 11 of Spring Semester: the campaign may begin
Thursday of week 13 of Spring Semester: election day. Only Graduate students (online and On-campus) in respective colleges are eligible to vote for their own Senator.
Monday Week 14 of Spring semester: all final paperwork is due by 5pm.
13.03 Board of Elections Make-up
The Board of Elections Chair shall be selected by the Executive Council. The Chair must be nonbiased and graduating that spring semester.
The Chair must be confirmed by resolution. The resolution must pass with two-thirds of the entire GSS body.
The Chair has the responsibility of forming the Board of Elections Committee with a minimum of two committee members
The Board of Elections Committee should have at least one continuing member of GSS so procedural knowledge of the elections process may be maintained.
13.04 Board of Elections Compensation
The Board of Elections shall be compensated $750. This is an automatic requirement for GSS and does not need to be confirmed by a resolution. The amount will be distributed equally among members of the Board of Elections Committee.
This form of compensation is strictly internal to GSS and will not interfere with stipends and tuition waivers for those who hold appointments.
13.05 Board of Elections
There shall be a Board of Elections that will conduct the GSS election, members of which must be current and official students at Ohio University-Athens, appointed by the Executives of GSS.
The Board of Elections shall conduct the election as required by the Constitution of GSS and R&P.
The Board of Elections interprets campaign rules and regulations.
The Board of Elections shall make available petitions for candidacy, enforce R&P relevant to GSS elections, uphold the Constitution, determine sanctions for violations of the R&P and the Constitution, ensure compliance with university policies and procedures and the Student Code of Conduct, conduct hearings for violations and refer violators when appropriate to Judiciaries, report to GSS after each election, publicize the election, and do whatever is necessary and proper under the R&P and Constitution to ensure fair elections.
No member of the Board of Elections may be a candidate or actively support a candidate or party.
13.06 Candidate Requirements
Minimum eligibility to be a candidate shall be determined by Article IV of the Constitution, as well as the following:
Current and official graduate students at Ohio University-Athens are eligible to run for election.
Current and official undergraduate students at Ohio University-Athens are eligible to run for election if proof is made of their expected status as a graduate student at Ohio University-Athens by the following fall semester.
College Senator candidates must be enrolled in the college for which they are a candidate by the next fall semester.
Individuals shall not seek candidacy for more than one voting position on the GSS during any given election.
Parties have the option of registering to become an official student organization but are not required to do so.
All Senators, Commissioners, and Department Representatives in good standing may seek re-election/re-appointment at the end of their respective terms.
Candidates for the election shall submit candidate applications and party declaration forms (if applicable) by the due date as established by the Board of Elections.
13.07 Campaigning (in General)
Candidates for election shall be President, Vice President, Treasurer and any College Senator as described in rule 3.01(b).
Campaigning is prohibited before the campaigning time frame. Campaigning includes the use of posters, flyers, television and radio commercials, or other non-personal methods of campaigning that involve the expenditure of campaign funds and that name one or more candidate for office. This section shall not be interpreted as a prohibition against fundraising for a party or independent candidate. Parties, independent candidates, or other entities may solicit student membership through the use of posters, flyers, television or radio commercials, or other non-personal methods of campaigning, provided that such methods do not name a political party, candidate, campaign issues, or reasons for supporting a candidate or party.
The following campaign practices are permitted during the official campaigning time frame: parties, candidates, independent candidates, and other individuals and entities may post flyers or posters, air television or radio commercials, and use other methods of campaigning and communication that have the express purpose of affecting the outcome of an election or soliciting votes or support for a candidate or party.
Parties, candidates, independent candidates, student organizations, individuals, faculty, university officers, community organizations, and other individuals and entities are prohibited from engaging in the solicitation of a vote or support, regardless of whether it is for a particular candidate or party, in return for which compensation, financial or otherwise, is granted, promised, suggested, or implied. Compensation shall be considered any item, whose fair market value is in excess of $2.00 in United States currency.
Parties and independent candidates may distribute any item whose fair market value is $2.00 or less. Actual currency may not be given out at any time. The Board of Elections shall make all determinations of the value of said items.
Parties, candidates, or other entities shall submit all records of purchase or any other information if requested by the Board of Elections within twenty-four hours of notification of such a request.
The Board of Elections may provide an item with a value of $1.00 or less to a student who votes so long as the item does not benefit a particular group or constituency.
A violation of campaign rules in the R&P may be sufficient basis for declaring an election or race invalid.
Significant negative campaigning is prohibited, as interpreted and enforced by the Board of Elections.
Violations of any U.S., Ohio, or local laws, or violations of the Student Code of Conduct or any other Ohio University policy, procedure, rule, or regulation are prohibited.
13.08 The Election
The method of voting shall be decided by the Board of Elections.
If physical ballots are cast in the election, counting them shall be done by the members of the Board of Elections with the oversight of a faculty member, preferably the GSS faculty Advisor.
The option of running for a position as a write-in candidate must be offered in every election.
13.09 Appeals
There shall be an appeals process for candidates or parties, consisting of a committee of GSS members called the Appeals Board.
The Appeals Board shall be composed of five GSS members selected by the GSS President. In the event that the President is a candidate in the election, they shall designate another GSS member to convene the Appeals Board.
No member of the Appeals Board may be a candidate for election nor actively supporting any candidate.
The Appeals process shall be as follows:
A party, candidate, or independent candidate may appeal any decision of the Board of Elections in writing to the President of GSS and the Board of Elections.
The appeal must be received within five calendar days of notification of the Board of Election’s decision being appealed.
Individual candidates must submit separate appeals to the President of GSS and Board of Elections, and parties may not submit an appeal on behalf of an independent candidate. The Executive Council may not submit an appeal on behalf of a candidate.
Upon receipt of an appeal of a decision of the Board of Elections, the GSS President shall convene the Appeals Board to coordinate decisions and actions relating to the appeal.
Decisions and actions relating to the appeal are to be presented at a determined GBM.
Decisions and actions proposed by the Appeals Board must be voted on via a resolution in a GBM to take effect.
13.10 Certification of Results
The Board of Elections shall certify that the election has complied with all applicable rules and regulations following the expiration of the appeal period.
Preliminary election results shall be available to the public within twenty-four hours after the close of the voting period of the election.
All parties and independent candidates shall submit a finance report, detailing all campaign revenues and expenditures to the Board of Elections within five business days of the election. Failure to do so will result in a sanction determined by the Board of Elections.
Election results will not be certified until all of the financial reports of the winning candidates have been received.
