Please carefully read this document for instructions and rules that you must follow during the campaign process. Updated February 2023.
Campaign Rules
Campaign Materials and Concerns
Posters
● 10 poster limit, maximum poster dimensions of 11”x17”.
● Up to 250 handbills (3” x 3”) small fliers.
● Regis posting policies apply- must be stamped by the Housing and Residential Engagement
Office, posted only on designated bulletin boards.
● See Student Handbook for full list of posting policies or follow up with the Housing posting
policies.
● No hanging of flyers on residence hall doors or elevators.
● 4 yard sign limit, with location approval granted from Regis Physical Plant.
Campaign Material Regulations
● Facebook, Twitter, and all other social networks: Groups/pages may not go live until 9:00 am on the first campaign day (anything posted is subject to Regis University regulations and the discretion of the election committee).
● Links to campaign sites must be provided to the Election Committee via email as soon as they go active.
● While materials do not have to be checked beforehand with the election committee, the committee reserves the right to remove any materials deemed in conflict with these rules.
● No campaign material, including posts on Facebook, Twitter, Youtube.com, etc. may contain comments about other candidates, in any form (i.e. no slander).
● Sidewalk chalk may be permissible if language and content adheres to these guidelines. May only be used in the area of the Student Center.
● Campaign posters can be ordered through the Department of Student Affairs. Those will be forwarded to Copy and Print with a RUSGA budget code. Posters may be ordered through another vendor.
● Campaign supply receipts must be kept and emailed to the RUSGA CFO on the Friday of each week of campaigning by 5pm. The RUSGA CFO will keep a running tally of campaign costs.
● Campaign posters will be posted on dedicated bulletin boards (or areas of bulletin boards) in each of the academic buildings.
● Tampering with other candidates' campaign materials is strictly prohibited. If a candidate violates this regulation, their continued campaign running will be determined by the election committee.
Campaigning in the Residence Halls.
● Campaign posters and flyers to be distributed and posted in the Residence Halls must be submitted to the Office of Housing and Residential Engagement. HRE will distribute posters for posting on Residence Hall common area bulletin boards. Any flyers under doors will be distributed by HRE staff.
● Candidates are prohibited from campaigning door to door in the residence halls, Ignatian Village, Romero House, Boryla Apartments and the Residential Village. Candidates are able to table in the residence hall first floor lobby areas, to be scheduled through the HRE office and staff.
● If you have a question of whether or not something is appropriate, please ask the election committee or come up with a new idea.
● Regis University staff, faculty, departments, programs and clubs and organizations are not allowed to endorse or sponsor a candidate publicly – at public events, meetings, on social media, or other similar venues.
● Candidates are prohibited from endorsing other candidates.
● Individual students, acting outside of their specific leadership roles, may endorse student candidates. Most specifically this means that student leaders may not use the resources of their leadership role, or their position in it, to endorse any candidate. (This includes, but is not limited to, CDAs, current RUSGA Members, current members of the student senate, Peer Ministers, CAs, Recognized Student Organization officers, etc.)
● Candidates run their own separate and individual campaigns. To that end they are prohibited from campaigning as tickets, developing shared campaign materials, pooling campaign financial resources, tabling together, etc.
● No use of illicit materials for campaigning on or off campus, i.e.: alcohol, drugs, campaign parties, etc.
● Campaigns will be monitored by the election committee and faculty and staff. It is critical that campaigns abide by rules and keep campaigns appropriate. Candidates are responsible for the content and actions of their campaigns.
Election Committee and Decisions
● Election Committee members may not in any capacity endorse or serve in any capacity on the campaign of any candidate participating in this election.
● Any member of the Election Committee may remove any campaign materials that violate election campaign rules outlined in this document.
● The election committee is the arbiter of any and all disputes of election rules.
● Any dispute involving campaigns or campaigning should be brought to the attention of the election committee in a timely fashion.
Campaign Finances
● Executive Cabinet position campaigns have a budget of $200
● Full reimbursement: all receipts must be turned in by the last Friday of campaigning.
● No use of student printer bucks; must utilize copy and print services through the Department of Student Affairs.
● Gifting – that is the assembly and distribution of goodie bags or other giveaways, must be reviewed and approved by the Election Committee.
● Any “in-kind” donations or gifts must be approved by the Election Committee. The value of “in kind” donations or gifts, as ascertained by the election committee, count against the $200 campaign spending limit.
Campaign Sanctions
Allegations of campaign rule violations will be brought to the Election Committee. The Committee will do due diligence in investigating and weighing the veracity of allegations – which may include an informal hearing. Campaign rule violations, as determined by the Election Committee, will result in the sanctioning of a campaign.
Example violations of the campaigning rules include, but are not limited to:
Campaigning early.
Unapproved posters/flyers.
Distributing posters/flyers in unapproved locations.
Campaign spending in excess of campaign funding limits.
Campaign parties of any kind.
Vandalism of opponent’s posters/flyers.
Inappropriate language.
Denigration of opponent/negative campaigning.
Sanctions include, but are not limited to:
Disqualification of candidate and removal from ballot.
Loss of campaigning privileges for a period of time.
Removal of campaign materials.
Loss or reduction of campaign funding.
The election committee can and will refer candidates who’s actions violate the Community Conduct Standards to the Office of Care and Conduct.
Write-In Candidates
● Candidates may only run for one RUSGA position at a time.
● A write-in candidate does not benefit from the resources that declared candidates have access to.
As a result, write-in campaigns cannot campaign on campus nor will they appear on the ballot. To that end they cannot table, post flyers, distribute handbills, install yard signs, have access to official university or student organization social media or web presences.
● A write-in candidate cannot be reimbursed for any expenses incurred in conducting a write in campaign.
● A write-in candidate campaign must abide by the campaign rules outlined in this document under the section “Campaign Materials and Concerns”.
● A write-in candidate must reach a threshold of 25% of the overall number of ballots cast in the election to successfully be elected.
● A successful write-in candidate must meet the eligibility criteria specified in the RUSGA Constitution to be sworn into office.
Candidate Eligibility
● Maintain a standard of being a student in good standing with the university. Good standing, for these purposes includes being in favorable standing financially, without Community Standards sanctions of probation or higher.
● Be in academic standing possessing at least a 3.0 GPA.
● Candidates must have had completed a minimum of 30 credit hours by the time of their application.
Election Committee
● Madelaine Johnson, Chair
● Iris Jaramillo, Voting Member
● Sheccid Apodaca, Voting Member
● Lauren Manzanares, Voting Member
● Evon Elie, Non-voting Member
● Zach Ebbott, Responsible for finances, Non-voting Member
● Lianna Trujillo, Marketing and Communications, Non-voting Member
● Sandra Vo, Editing Manager for Regis Highlander, Non-voting Member
The Campaigning Timeline
RUSGA Town hall and info session - January 31, 5-6pm, Walker’s Pub
January 31, 9am - Application opens
February 5, 11:59pm - Applications close
February 8, 6pm, RUSGA Office - Required campaign guideline meeting
February 19, 9am - Campaigns begins
February 23, 5pm - Campaigns end
February 26, 9am - Voting begins
March 1, 12pm - Voting ends
March 1, 5pm - Result announced to candidates
March 4, tbd - Result announced to student body