Print-ready PDF versions of the Student Body Statutes

§7-1.1. Definitions and Conventions.

Within this chapter, the following definitions and conventions shall apply:

1. “Elections Commission” and “Commission” refer to the Student Body Commission on Elections.
2. “Board of Elections” refers to the entire agency for elections, the sum of the Elections Commission and its assistants.
3. “Books open” and “Books close” refer to the beginning and end of the candidacy filing period, respectively.
4. The term "Candidate" shall refer to any individual who has filed document(s) for candidacy for election or has otherwise agreed to appear on the ballot. Unqualified candidates shall be considered candidates until such time as the Commission has ruled affirming their ineligibility.
5. “Campaigning” refers to actions in support of a candidate, such as the distribution of literature and posting of materials. Wearing campaign material shall not be considered “Campaigning” unless accompanied by the delivery of oral or written campaign information.
6. “Supporters” and “Staff” refer to any students who work to assist a candidate in the activities of campaigning.
7. “Contributor” refers to any student who has donated time, talent, or money to candidate’s campaign.
8. “Campaign” refers to a candidate’s organization of staff and supporters that seeks to encourage his or her election.
9. “Class Day” refers to any weekday on which the University holds classes.
10. “Elections Cycle” refers the period from the opening of elections books to the certification of results of a conclusive general or run-off election.
11. “General Election” refers to the initial election of and elections cycle, as opposed to a run-off election.
12. “Spring General Election” refers to both the general and run-off elections of the regular election occurring in the spring.

§7-1.2. Spring General Election.

There shall be an election occurring each April, to be known as the Spring General Election. At this election, in addition to special races added by the Senate, the members of Student Body, subject to voting eligibility, shall vote upon:

1. the election of a Student Body President, Student Senate President, Student Body Treasurer, and Student Body Chief Justice;
2. the election of Student Senators, except those Senators selected in the fall per SBS §2-3.7;
3. any properly pending Student Body Referenda;
4. the election of a Union President and at-large members of the Union Board of Directors;
5. the election of a Senior Class President;
6. the election of at-large members of the Student Media Authority; and
7. any elective races or referenda of College Councils granted ballot space by either the Elections Commission or the Student Senate.

§7-1.3. Spring General Election Timeline.

1. Books open: At least 12 class days prior to the All Candidates Meeting.
2. Books close: 2 days prior to the All Candidates Meeting.
3. All Candidates Meeting: Wednesday prior to Spring Break.
4. General Elections: First Monday and Tuesday in April.
5. Run-Off Elections: Monday and Tuesday one week after the General Elections.

§7-1.4. Fall General Election.

There shall be an election occurring each September, to be known as the Fall General Election. At this election, in addition to special races added by the Senate, the members of Student Body, subject to voting eligibility, shall vote upon the election of Student Senators selected in the fall per SBS §2-3.8.

§7-1.5. Fall General Election Timeline.

1. Books open: At least 10 days prior to the All Candidates Meeting.
2. Books close: 1 day prior to the All Candidates Meeting.
3. All Candidates Meeting: Third Class Wednesday of the Fall Semester.
4. General Elections: Second Monday and Tuesday following the All-Candidates Meeting.
5. Run-Off Elections: Monday and Tuesday one week after the General Elections.

§7-1.6. Special Elections.

Special Elections shall be ordered only by the Student Senate via Senate Resolution. When ordering a special election, the Student Senate shall have the authority to designate the following:

1. The date polls open;
2. The size of the Elections Commission to be appointed in addition to the chair;
3. The number and locations of supervised polling facilities and their hours of operation;
4. The questions to be placed on the ballot, consistent with statutes on qualifications; and
5. If needed for the races on the ballot, the time and length of a filing period of at least four (4) class days.

§7-1.7. Special Election Timeline.

1. General Elections: Two consecutive weekdays, per Senate order.
2. Run-Off Elections: Two consecutive weekdays one week following the general election.

§7-1.8. Exceptions for Special Elections.

In addition to the special powers of the Senate of SBS §7-1.6, the following exceptions shall apply to special elections:

1. The Commission Chair shall be appointed twelve (12) class days prior to his or her first official duty regarding the special election, subject to simple majority confirmation by the Senate at a single meeting.
2. The Student Body President may make appointments to Board of Elections positions for a term of the same duration as the special election;
3. The Commission shall have discretion when and if to hold an All Candidates Meeting, provided that it is announced at the start of filing.

§7-1.9. Basic Qualifications for Office.

All candidates for any elective position must be students in good standing with the University, as defined by SBS §1-1.1(d). No student barred from service per SBS §2-2 shall be eligible to seek a Student Government position.

§7-1.10. Qualifications for Student Body President Candidates.

Candidates for Student Body President shall be required to have no qualifications beyond the basic qualifications for office.

§7-1.11. Qualifications for Student Senate President Candidates.

Candidates shall have served at least a majority of the scheduled Student Senate meetings in any given year by the close of filing.

§7-1.12. Qualifications for Student Body Treasurer Candidates.

Candidates for Student Body Treasurer will be required to meet the basic qualifications for office and in addition will meet at least one of the following further qualifications:

1. The candidate will have served at least a majority of the scheduled Student Senate meetings in any given year by the close of filing.
2. The candidate will have served as a department level official in the Department of the Treasury.

§7-1.13. Qualifications for Student Body Chief Justice Candidates.

Candidates must have served at least two full semesters as a Judicial Assistant to be complete by the close of filing.

§7-1.14. Qualifications for Student Senator Candidates.

Candidates must be currently enrolled in the School or College from which they seek election. Candidates shall run for the their current classification, unless they are a Freshman, Sophomore, or Junior, in which case they shall run one classification greater than their current classification. However, a candidate may run in a college different from that in which they are currently enrolled if they can show by written University documentation that they will be in that college next academic year. For the purposes of first-year Senate seats, a student shall be considered first-year if they enrolled in the University after the date of the immediate previous Fall General Election.

§7-1.15. Qualifications for Union President Candidates.

Candidates for Union President must be certified as candidates by the Union Board of Directors.

§7-1.16. Qualifications for Senior Class President.

Candidates for Senior Class President shall be required to have projected Senior status for the next academic year. In addition, candidates must meet with the Director of Constituency Programs of the NC State Alumni Association prior to the last day of filing. To be considered qualified, the candidate must furnish the Commission with written notice from The Director of Constituency Programs that such a meeting has occurred with his or her intent-to-run form.

§7-1.17. Filing for Office.

A student desiring to become a candidate shall file an intent-to-run form to declare candidacy for a particular race. Each candidate is responsible for seeing that his/her own filing is carried out completely and correctly.

§7-1.18. Online Intent-to-run Form.

There shall be an online, electronically submitable, intent-to-run form, requesting the same information as the paper version, with the exception of the Student ID Number. Students submitting the form online shall sign the waiver contained on the paper version at either the all candidates meeting or at their all candidates meeting absence excuse hearing. The online intent-to-run form shall not be applicable to Student Body wide elective races or to the Senior Class President race.

§7-1.19. Filing Timelines.

1. In the case of the Spring General Election, the Board of Elections shall begin accepting filings for office no later than twelve (12) class days prior to the All Candidates Meeting, and stop accepting filings two (2) days prior to All Candidates Meeting, at 5:00 PM.
2. In the case of the Fall General Election, the Board of Elections shall begin accepting filings for office no later than ten (10) class days prior to the All Candidates Meeting, and stop accepting filings one (1) day prior to All Candidates Meeting, at 5:00 PM.

§7-1.20. Multiple Filings.

Students shall be permitted to seek any number of elective positions, provided that they would be permitted to serve simultaneously in all position sought if elected to all.

§7-1.21. Withdrawal From Candidacy.

Any Candidate may file a written petition with the Board of Elections to withdraw from candidacy. Such a petition must be filed by 5:00 PM the Wednesday prior to the election to provide the Commission time to authenticate the petition prior to the finalization of the ballot. All such petitions shall be granted unless the Commission finds that granting it would substantially impair a fair election.

§7-1.22. Ballot Specificity.

All ballots shall be designed to be specific to both college and classification. Ballots shall be further specific to departments, as necessary for elective races added to an election per SBS §§7-1.2 et seq.

§7-1.23. Electronic Polling.

There shall be electronic polling accessible through the Student Government webpage, which shall open no later than 8:00 AM the first day of elections and shall remain open continuously until the end of the second day of elections.

§7-1.24. Electronic Ballot.

The electronic ballot delivered to the voter shall contain all races they are eligible to cast votes in. The order of the list of candidates for each race shall be randomized for each voter.

§7-1.25. Provisional Ballot.

If a student is barred from accessing his or her correct ballot by a technical issue, he or she may request a paper provisional ballot. This provisional ballot shall include all races for which the voter is eligible to cast votes in, and shall be sealed in an envelope along with a card indicating the voter’s name, email, phone, student id number, and unity userid. The Commission shall tabulate the provisional ballot into the results after the close of elections as long as there is no record of the voter voting electronically and no indication that technical issue which the voter raised was spurious. It shall be considered fraudulent to file or encourage the filing of Provisional Ballots for the purpose of frustrating the elective process.

§7-1.26. Write-in Votes.

All general election ballots shall include for each elective office a number of write-in slots equal in number to the seats available for the office, unless the office is of a nature requiring external pre-approval of candidates.

§7-1.27. Supervised Polling Locations.

The Board of Elections shall provide at least two (2) locations at which students may receive assistance filing their electronic ballot or request a provisional ballot. The minimum two supervised polling locations shall be open at least a collective total of eighteen (18) hours during the course of elections.

§7-1.28. Voter Eligibility.

In general, a voter shall be eligible to vote in races in which he or she has the correct standing and enrollment to run. For college or school specific races, the voter shall be allowed to vote in the College of their current primary enrollment. For class specific races, the voter shall be allowed to vote in the class he or she is currently in, unless he or she is a Freshman, Sophomore, or Junior, in which case the voter shall vote in one class greater than their current classification. For department specific races, the voter shall be allowed to vote in the department of primary residence, as defined by the university’s electronic records, of his or her first major.

§7-1.29. Single Seat Winners.

For any race in which only one position is available, the winner shall be the candidate who receives a simple majority (greater than 50%) of the votes casts. In the event that no candidate receives a majority of the vote, a run-off election shall be conducted. The top two candidates will be in the run-off. If there is a tie for the second seat, all three candidates will be in the run-off.

§7-1.30. Multiple Seat Winners.

For any race in which more than one seat is available, the top candidates will receive a seat until all the available seats are filled. There will be a run-off only if there is a tie for the last seat.

§7-1.31. Write-in Winners.

In order to be elected by write-in, a student must meet all qualifications for the office in question. Additionally, the student must receive either five (5) votes or votes from five percent (5%) of those voting in the particular race, whichever is less, to be eligible for election. No write-in candidate shall be included in a run-off election without express consent of the candidate.

§7-1.32. Run-off Election.

In event that a run-off election is necessary, it shall be conducted under the same regulations as the preceding general elections, unless these statutes provide otherwise.

§7-2.1. Convention Concerning Confirmation.

Within this article, unless otherwise specified, “confirmation” refers to the simple majority confirmation of the Student Senate.

§7-2.2. Elections Commission.

The Elections Commission shall have the basic duty to ensure a fair and appropriate Student Body Election. The Commission shall be comprised of a chair (SBS §7-2.8) and eight (8) commissioners, who shall be students appointed by the Student Body President at least four (4) weeks prior to the date of elections books opening, subject to the simple majority confirmation of the Senate.

§7-2.3. Composition.

As best possible members of the Elections Commission shall be of a variety of backgrounds and experiences. Specifically, no more than two (2) members of the Elections Commission can be concurrently serving in any particular branch of Student Government. Commissioners shall be considered Student Government Officials, but shall be exempt from the dual-office holding ban of SBS §1-3. Members of the Commission shall not be:

1. Candidates for Elected Office;
2. Staff Members of a Campaign;
3. Supporters of a Candidate;
4. Contributors to a Candidate or Campaign;
5. Members of the Senate Standing Committee on Government Operations;
6. The Student Body Chief Justice or one of his or her Assistants, nor be applicants to one of those positions for the next year;
7. Sponsors of Referenda to be presented for vote.

§7-2.4. Term of Commissioners.

The terms of Elections Commissioners shall begin on the effective date of confirmation and last until the date of Spring Commencement.

§7-2.5. Commission Officers.

At its first meeting, and whenever the offices might be vacant, the Elections Commission shall elect from its own membership a Vice-chair, Secretary and Publicity Director, with duties as prescribed by these statutes.

§7-2.6. Commission Meetings.

The Commission shall meet at the call of the chair or majority vote of the Commission. All Commission meetings must be publicly announced at least twenty-four (24) hours prior to the meeting. Quorum of the Commission shall be a simple majority. Unless provided for otherwise by these statutes, all meetings of the Commission shall be open to the public.

§7-2.7. Parliamentary Authority.

In such cases in which no applicable rule exists in these statutes, the rules contained within The Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure shall govern the procedure of the commission.

§7-2.8. Deliberative Duties of Commission.

In addition to other duties specified in these Statutes, the Elections Commission shall, as a deliberative body:

1. Hear all allegations that a candidate or candidates have violated campaign rules;
2. Provide a governing interpretation of the regulations of this chapter upon request of any candidate, campaign, or Student Government Official;
3. Remove unqualified candidates from the ballot once verifying of the lack of qualification;
4. Certify petitions for Student Body Referenda;
5. Grant or deny ballot access to College Councils not inconsistent with Senate decisions on the same access;
6. Adopt a budget of funds appropriated to the Board of Elections;
7. Hear appeals of an election;
8. Certify the elections results.

§7-2.9. Appointment of the Chair of the Commission.

The Chair of the Elections Commission shall be considered a Student Government Official. The Student Body President shall appoint the Chair at least six (6) weeks prior to the date of elections books opening, subject to the simple majority confirmation of the Senate. Such an appointment shall not be confirmed at the meeting at which the appointment is announced. In addition to any specific requirements, the Chair of the Commission shall meet all requirements for service as Commissioner, as listed in SBS §7-2.3.

§7-2.10. Duties of the Chair of the Commission.

In addition to other duties specified in these Statutes the Commission Chair shall specifically:

1. Coordinate the activities of the Board of Elections;
2. File a report on the activities of the Board of Elections to the Senate at least once every five (5) class days during an election cycle and every fifteen (15) class days when no election cycle is in progress;
3. Remove Elections Assistants for cause provided that reasons for such action are reported to the Senate; and
4. Submit to the Senate Standing Committee on Government Operations, upon the conclusion of an election cycle, a report on any procedural difficulties or recommendation for improvement to these statutes.

§7-2.11. Vacation of the Office of Chair of the Commission.

In the event that the office of Chair becomes vacant prior to the end of its term, the office shall be filled as follows:

1. The Student Body President shall appoint a replacement Chair per §7-2.8, when no elections cycle is in progress;
2. The Student Body President shall appoint a replacement Chair from the confirmed Commissioners without consent of the Senate if an elections cycle is in progress; and
3. The Student Body President shall appoint a replacement within one (1) week of the vacation with the majority consent of the Senate when neither part (a) nor part (b) of this statute can possibly be applied.

§7-2.12. Vice-Chair of the Commission.

The Vice-chair of the Elections Commission shall execute the duties of the Chair of the Elections Commission whenever he or she is unable to do so.

§7-2.13. Commission Secretary.

The Commission Secretary shall maintain accurate records of the actions of the Commission.

§7-2.14. Publicity Director.

The Commission Publicity Director shall be responsible for coordinating all publicity efforts by the Board of Elections.

§7-2.15. Elections Assistants.

The Chair of the Commission shall appoint, without confirmation of the Senate, any number of Elections Assistants to perform minor or supervised duties.

§7-2.16. Elections Technical Personnel.

The Student Body President shall appoint two (2) students with suitable background in UNIX server administration by the date books open for the General Election. These students shall be considered Elections Assistants and shall be responsible for:

1. Maintenance and setup of the Student Government Election Server and related programs and systems;
2. Access to the computing environment of the Student Government Election Server;
3. Provide a written report to the Senate at the conclusion of the Election Cycle on any technical problems which occurred.

§7-2.17. Elections Webmaster.

The Chair of the Commission shall name an Elections Webmaster, who may be either a Commissioner or an Elections Assistant. The Elections Webmaster shall be responsible for ensuring the Elections Website is up-to-date and contains all information required by these statutes.

§7-2.18. External Liaisons.

The Chair of the Commission shall name an external liaison to each non-Student Government group using the elections ballot. An External Liaison may be either a Commissioner or an Elections Assistant. The External Liaisons shall be responsible for ensuring timely and accurate communication between the Board of Elections and the external group, and shall specifically encourage, when appropriate, involvement of the external group in filing and polling publicity.

§7-2.19. Qualifications for Elections Assistants.

Elections Assistants shall not be:

1. Candidates for Elected Office;
2. Staff Members of a Campaign;
3. Supporters of a Candidate;
4. Contributors to a Candidate or Campaign;
5. Members of the Senate Standing Committee on Government Operations;
6. The Student Body Chief Justice or one of his or her Assistants;
7. Sponsors of Referenda to be presented for vote.

§7-2.20. Term of Elections Assistants.

The term of the Elections Assistants shall begin on the effective date of appointment or confirmation and lasts until the date of Spring Commencement.

§7-2.21. Official Status of Elections Assistants.

Elections Assistants shall be considered Student Government Officials, but shall be exempt from the dual office-holding ban of SBS §1-3.

§7-2.22. Validation of Candidacy.

The Chair of the Commission shall validate that student seeking candidacy meets all qualifications for such candidacy. Validation includes checking the potential candidate’s Academic and Judicial Standing, in addition to verifying all position specific candidacy qualifications, with the assistance of appropriate University Officials. Should the Chair find evidence that an individual is unqualified the Elections Commission shall review the ineligibility per SBS (§7-2.7).

§7-2.23. Basic Publicity.

The Board of Elections shall publicize such that all members of the Student Body have a reasonable opportunity to be aware of the elections, the timeline for filing for office, and the manner and time of voting. The Commission shall request the assistance of the Wolf Aide Program.

§7-2.24. Voter Guide.

The Commission shall produce both a printed and electronic uniform voter guide for all Constitutionally specified offices.

§7-2.25. Candidate Debates.

The Commission shall coordinate, in conjunction with interested Student Media, any debates among candidates for office.

§7-2.26. Elections Website.

The Board of Elections shall maintain an elections website on space provided by the Division of Web Development. The website shall include, at minimum, these Statutes, the current Elections Packet (SBS §7-6.1), links to on-line voting, list of candidates, the Voter Guide, any rulings and minutes of the Elections Commission, and elections results, once available.

§7-2.27. All Candidates Meeting.

The Commission shall organize and run the All Candidates Meeting at which they shall provide information to candidates concerning elections as well as answering any questions of candidates or members of the Student Body. Any candidate who fails to attend the meeting or send an alternate shall be removed from the ballot unless the candidate can show suitable excuse for the absence to the commission.

§7-2.28. Equipment Audit.

The Board of Elections shall conduct an audit of all voting equipment and technologies, and report any problems that could hinder the election to the Senate Committees on Finance and Government Operations no later than the last Friday in February.

§7-2.29. Test of Voting System.

The Board of Elections shall conduct at least one public 24-hour test of the electronic voting system prior to opening of polls. A test shall be conducted the Thursday prior to opening of polls with the final ballot in place. The Commission shall actively request factual comments regarding the security of the voting system.

§7-2.30. Poll Maintenance.

The Commission shall oversee all supervised polling locations, including clearly and uniformly marking their location and removing all campaign materials within fifty feet (50’) of the location.

§7-2.31. Unity Lab Campaign Material.

The commission shall remove all campaign materials in the unity labs on the day of the elections.

§7-2.32. Result Tabulation and Posting.

The Commission shall make a draft tabulation of elections results no later than 24 hours after the conclusion of elections. This includes both electronic returns as well as provisional ballots. The results shall be posted once they have been certified by the Elections Commission.

§7-2.33. Preservation of Records.

The Commission shall provide for the safekeeping of all records from the election and shall forward results and other important records in a permanent medium to the University Archives.

§7-2.34. Certification of Results.

1. After initial tabulation, the Commission shall certify the results of a particular elective race in a permanent fashion, within twenty-four (24) hours, provided that the Commission deems the results complete and that all appeals affecting the race have been exhausted. Multiple races may be certified en masse. Should the Commission deem the results to be incomplete, it shall re-tabulate the results and review them again within thirty-six (36) hours. Review and certification must take place in a duly called public meeting.
2. Complete results include the total ballots cast, the number of votes cast on each candidate or choice printed on the ballot, and a complete list of all write-in votes for individuals passing the write-in minimum. A comprehensive list of write-in votes for any race shall be prepared for reference.

§7-2.35. Filling of Results.

Four original copies of certified results shall be prepared, one to be sent to each of the following: (i) the Student Body President, (ii) the Student Senate Historian, (iii) the University Archives, and (iv) the Division of Student Affairs.

§7-3.1. Violation Defined.

Within this article, “Violation” refers a violation by a candidate or campaign of the guidelines for campaigning.

§7-3.2. Time Scope of Enforcement.

The Commission shall have authority to impose penalty on a Candidate from the time they file for office until the time they are either defeated at the polls or are sworn into office. Severe breeches of regulation by a candidate in the course of an election shall remain just cause for impeachment for the duration of the student's service in Student Government.

§7-3.3. Pre-candidacy Violations.

The Commission shall be empowered to impose penalty on candidates, after declaration of candidacy, for violations occurring prior to declaration of candidacy, provided that the Commission finds reasonable evidence the violation occurred in the course of supporting the future candidacy and provided that the violation occurred in the semester in which the election occurs.

§7-4.1. Candidate Responsibility.

All candidates and campaigns shall be responsible for knowing the regulations of campaigning. Ignorance of a regulation shall not be acceptable as a defense to a violation of a rule. Candidates shall be responsible for the actions of their staff and supporters.

§7-4.2. Regulation Applicability.

All regulations within these Statutes shall be applicable to all candidates for office, regardless of the affiliation of the office sought, by virtue of the election governance clause of the Student Body Constitution.

§7-4.3. Regulation Completeness.

The campaign regulations shall be considered complete and shall be enforced without addition by the Board of Elections.