Past fines:
2015:
Cardinal Direction: $300 total for campaigning before Nomination Convention, hanging too large of posters and soliciting votes through electronic devices
Atlas: $50 for campaigning before Nomination Convention
2014:
Cardinal Connection: $400 for campaigning during voting
2013:
Cardinal United: $35 for encouraging someone to criticize the other slate's platform points
Both Summit and 18 slates were fined by the Student Government Association Elections Board Feb. 23.
Casey Miller, the Elections Board chair, said the board bases the fine amounts on similar decisions made in the past.
“We’ve tried to base our decisions off some information I’ve received from the Office of Student Life about previous years…and we’ve tried to keep it consistent with what we’ve seen,” Miller said.
18 was found responsible for two violation charges and Summit was found responsible for one. Previously 18 had received a charge that was appealed and dismissed.
One of 18's recent charges was for early campaigning, defined as displays or statements to more than 10 people before the end of Nomination Convention. 18 was fined $30 for this.
Miller said Lexi Williams, secretarial nominee for 18, sent an email to the entire chapter of Chi Omega signifying she was planning to run as a secretarial nominee before Nomination Convention.
He said this violation differs from the earlier violation from Greg Carbo, 18's vice president nominee, because it was a clear violation, while Carbo’s was in a gray area.
Miller said in Carbo's situation, the language in the elections code protects forms filed with the board, and it was unclear.
Carbo was originally charged for campaigning involving election papers and disrupting a class, but the violation was appealed and dismissed.
For 18's second recent fine, Miller said they placed a poster in the computer science department without getting permission first. This violates the section of election's code that says poster space on department bulletin boards can be used only with documented permission from the department head. The slate was fined $20 for this.
Summit was found responsible for one violation charge, stating that slates must have their names approved by the Elections Board.
Miller said the original name approved was “Summit” and that some of their social media usage, with the exception of their Twitter handles and website urls, promoted the name “BSU Summit.” The slate was fined $100 for this.
Miller said originally they turned down 18’s first name proposal of “Ball State 18” because it made it seem that the university was endorsing one slate and not the other. He said the fine was given to Summit to keeps things equal.
“We are trying to remove any symbolism that may appear as favoritism,” Miller said.
Both slates will have an opportunity to appeal their fines if they choose to.
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