Candidates for the Boston University Student Union election will likely be made public tonight, after the announcement was delayed for three days, pending approval from the Judicial Affairs Office, according to those managing the election.
Four students have applied to run for president and vice president, and three have applied to run for secretary and treasurer. Though campaigning was supposed to begin today, the names of the candidates have not been released because Judicial Affairs has not finished approving the students’ judicial standing.
Judicial Affairs will probably give the names of approved candidates to the Student Activities Office tonight, said SAO Director Mindy Stroh.
Judicial Affairs did not respond to phone calls made yesterday.
If announced, approved candidates will be allowed to begin campaigning tonight, said Elections Commission Chairman Drew Phillips, a School of Management sophomore.
The Commission has bolstered its campaign regulations, which are now 14 pages long, and added a section stating that campaigns must follow all local, state and federal law.
“It’s one of those things where we can’t specify all the rules or restrictions or laws that are out there, and it’s up to the candidates to make sure they’re not violating the law,” Phillips said.
Current Union President Brooke Feldman and Vice President Mark DiCristofaro had possibly violated BU policy and state law in their campaign last year by distributing condoms to students, according to an April 18, 2006 Daily Free Press article.
Phillips said the regulations’ new section was not added in response to last year’s campaign, but, “Regardless of what happened last year, it should be in there,” he said. The section was also included because Commission members saw other universities included similar regulations in their election rules, Phillips said.
Candidates are also no longer allowed to campaign in residences once voting begins April 17, and they will also not be allowed to campaign in computer lounges.
The election will differ from last year because candidates will have a shorter time — about 10 days — to campaign within their funding limit of $500. Students running together on a slate are limited to spending $500 for the first candidate and $250 for each additional candidate.
Though students can campaign on a slate, they can only be elected individually.
Students applying for presidental candidacy come from within and outside the Union, Phillips said.
“That will really provide students who are voters an opportunity to decide if they like the direction the Union has taken this year,” he said.
Attributing last year’s low voter turnout to poorly devised advertising, Phillips said the Commission is trying to get more students interested by hosting a debate Wednesday, a town hall meeting Thursday and a “meet-the-candidates” reception April 18.