Chapter 13: Elections

(a) The Board of Elections has the sole authority to interpret this Chapter unless there is an appeal as provided in Section 13.08.

(b) All elections shall be conducted in accordance with the Constitution of GSS and these Rules and Procedures.

1. Establishment

There shall be a Board of Elections responsible for conducting GSS elections.

2. Composition and Selection
   1. The Board of Elections Chair shall be selected by the Executive Council.
   2. The Chair must be a nonbiased graduate student graduating that Spring semester.
   3. The Chair must be confirmed by resolution passed by two-thirds of the entire GSS body.
   4. The Chair shall form the Board of Elections Committee with a minimum of two additional committee members.
   5. The Committee should include at least one continuing GSS member to maintain procedural continuity.
   6. Members must be current graduate students at Ohio University-Athens.
   7. No member of the Board of Elections may be a candidate or actively support a candidate or party.
3. Authority and Responsibilities

The Board of Elections shall:

1. Conduct elections as required by the Constitution and R&P;
2. Interpret campaign rules and regulations;
3. Make available petitions for candidacy;
4. Enforce all R&P provisions relevant to elections;
5. Uphold the Constitution;
6. Determine sanctions for violations;
7. Ensure compliance with university policies and the Student Code of Conduct;
8. Conduct hearings when necessary;
9. Refer violations to appropriate judicial bodies when appropriate;
10. Publicize the election;
11. Report to GSS after each election;

12. Take all necessary and proper actions to ensure fair elections.

    d. Compensation

    i. 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. 

    ii. The amount will be distributed equally among members of the Board of Elections Committee.

    iii. This form of compensation is strictly internal to GSS and will not interfere with stipends and tuition waivers for those who hold appointments. 

(a) Minimum eligibility to be a candidate shall be determined by Article IV of the Constitution, as well as the following:

1. Current and official graduate students at Ohio University-Athens are eligible to run.
2. Current undergraduate students are eligible if proof is made of expected graduate status as a graduate student at Ohio University-Athens by the following Fall semester.
3. College Senator candidates must be enrolled in the respective college by the next Fall semester.

(b) Individuals may not seek candidacy for more than one voting position during a given election.

(c) All candidates must submit required applications and party declaration forms (if applicable) by deadlines established by the Board of Elections.

(d) Applicants for Executive Board positions must include a minimum of 10 endorsement signatures of current GSS membership when the total number of GSS members is confirmed to be 50 or more for the academic year and shall require 20% signatures when the General Body includes 49 or fewer members. This list is to be verified by the current Executive Board.

(e) Parties may register as official student organizations but are not required to do so.

(f) All Senators, Commissioners, and Department Representatives in good standing may seek re-election or re-appointment at the conclusion of their terms.

(a) Timeline

1. In the Fall semester, the Board of Elections Chair shall be appointed.
2. Before the last Fall GBM, the full Board must be confirmed.
3. By the last Fall GBM, the call for nominations shall be sent to all graduate students.
4. Applications must include a statement of intent and explanation of eligibility.
5. The first Spring GBM shall include a dedicated timeslot for candidates to introduce themselves.
6. By the end of the third week of Spring semester, applications shall close.
7. By the next GBM, candidates shall be announced via email.
8. Elections shall be held during the third GBM following Spring Break via an online platform with a minimum 48-hour voting window.
9. If no candidate receives 50%+1 of votes cast, a runoff shall be held between the top two candidates.
10. Results shall be announced at the next GBM.
11. Transition shall begin following announcement of results.
12. Oaths of office shall be taken at the last GBM of the academic year.

(a) General Provisions

1. Colleges may determine their own election process.
2. For Colleges that don’t have their own election process, applications may be considered on a rolling basis when vacancies exist, except during Spring semester.
3. 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.
4. Friday of Week 10 of Spring semester: application is due
5. Thursday of week 11 of Spring Semester: the campaign may begin
6. 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.
7. Monday Week 14 of Spring semester: all final paperwork is due by 5pm.

1. Candidates for election shall be President, Vice President, Treasurer and any College Senator.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. A violation of campaign rules in the R&P may be sufficient basis for declaring an election or race invalid.
9. Significant negative campaigning is prohibited, as interpreted and enforced by the Board of Elections.
10. 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.

1. The method of voting shall be determined by the Board of Elections.
2. If physical ballots are used, counting shall be conducted by the Board under faculty oversight, preferably the GSS Faculty Advisor.
3. Write-in candidacy shall be available in every election.

a. There shall be an appeals process for candidates or parties, consisting of a committee of GSS members called the Appeals Board.

1. 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.
2. No member of the Appeals Board may be a candidate for election nor actively supporting any candidate.

b. The Appeals process shall be as follows:

1. 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.
2. The appeal must be received within five calendar days of notification of the Board of Election’s decision being appealed.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. Decisions and actions relating to the appeal are to be presented at a determined GBM.
6. Decisions and actions proposed by the Appeals Board must be voted on via a resolution in a GBM to take effect.

1. The Board of Elections shall certify that the election has complied with all applicable rules and regulations following the expiration of the appeal period.
2. Preliminary election results shall be available to the public within twenty-four hours after the close of the voting period of the election.
3. 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.
4. Election results will not be certified until all of the financial reports of the winning candidates have been received.