Show M. M a r Campaign Finance Raises 4 H Questions q J.- J. J Questionable tactics may have been used in student body elections 1 Should the rules be changed h dJ c ange o By David Finch Staff Writer REDWOOD-As REDWOOD the 2002 Student Body Officer elections come to an end many a voter can be seen hugging and u L L snaring sharing stories siones with their meir melr candidate of choice Some are tears of joy and success while while others others are tears of p pain n and loss The yellow shirts and golf carts of the theE E party seem to have trumped the comparatively smaller measures taken by bythe bythe the Synergy party parry At first glance the he election seems to have run on schedule on budget and with relatively few wrinkles A closer look however reveals more insight into what and who exactly drives the election process According to the standing rules for the 2002 2003 Student Body ody each party has finite limits for their campaign financing which they cannot exceed A party will be allowed to spend of their fl down town own personal dollars for the purpose of campaigning says rule Also included ed are rules to limit the amount of cash donations services su lies or nr items j. j Y 1 Pp v us' us used d t for tl the purpose of cam cam- According to rule rule All totaled a party is not notto notto notto to I exceed for the purpose of of campaigning Keeping to within this limit seems an easy task for most Questions are continuing continuing continuing con con- to linger about the finan- finan of each party's cam cam- T 1 i I The Synergy Pa party f most of their budget on flyers and food in an attempt to reach out to the people one on one said Mike Harshberger The party kept to the allotted budget by throwing just over a quarter of the total money allotted allotted allotted allot allot- ted into their campaign While Synergy reported a total amount of in donations materials materials materials mate- mate rials and nd personal funds after acquiring their actual budget report and re-adding re the numbers numbers numbers num num- bers the total amount jumps to almost 34 percent While this does not scream for attention it shows just how easy it can be to underestimate funds i The party with their lavish campaigning managed managed man man- c. c aged to spend on the ther r i election Most of these funds IF seem to be aimed at handouts PAGE AGE 2 r f I 1 J r given to the students With going toward the printing printing printing print print- ing of shirts ofT T and going toward food it seems clear the goal of was to entice the voters with free gifts While the figures on paper add up correctly for the party some of the omissions do not Omitted were the personal friends and contacts who helped with the design of the groups group's logo and other advertisements Also left off the official financial statement was the I dont don't know Nobody has ever brought that up before Peggy Hoffman Coordinator of Student Activities in reference to whether use of a campaign manager should be included as a campaign expense r party campaign manager Justin Stevens When asked about the services he rendered and whether they should count as a monetary expense Coordinator of Student Activities Peggy Hoffman said I 1 dont don't know nobody has ever brought that up before After deliberation both she and current current current cur cur- rent Executive Vice President Mike Dawes announced his help helpin in the campaign would count as asan asan asan an expenditure for the party With just a few cents over left until the budget cap the omissions m may y or may not have had an integral part to play in the final outcome of the elec elec- Because of the pressures placed on the parties and their finances the election committee met to review each parties et The committee unanimously concluded all finances were in order and each candidate would be eligible to be placed into office This knowledge may have contributed to the delays associated with acquiring the party's financial state state- ment When asked for their record of funds the Synergy party was more than happy to oblige finishing their budget early for the sake of the Globes Globe's research When the same was asked of the party parry the papers were withheld until after the election results had been announced There are also looming concerns about just how much power the current Student body officers have in the election Mike Dawes was the party's contact for the golf fIrt carts seen nino h efu l u O Wil 0 g 1 p candidates around campus When asked for the financial statement at on March the deadline for the parties to complete and turn their forms in presidential candidate Scott Stratton said they had been given an extension by Dawes to allow them to campaign up until the moment the polls closed at I was not aware of an extension being given to the party said Mike Harshberger and it bothers me because we the candidates candidates candidates candi candi- dates from both parties all sat down and read over the rules and agreed to all of them This is in ref reference rence to rule which states Failure to submit Campaign Finance Form Formon on time will automatically automatically automatically auto auto- disqualify a party or individual from the race With Mike Dawes being the student official assigned to npr oversee pp the election as IC well v y v n. n as a current Salt Lake Community College student student student stu- stu dent the question lingers about just how much power the current VP V.P. should be allowed to have over the election When asked about the campaign VP candidate Pete Morgan mentioned the rules for the campaigns pad had been changed three times When asked about the changes Harshberger er said I was not made aware of any changes at atall atall atall all made to the election rules Itis It Itis Itis is clear the elections this year were among the most controversial sial ever With the votes tallied and the results announced the elections seem over with the party victorious The questions and problems raised during the campaigns however have much further to go Some students in the Senate are crying for reform while others are just happy to see the elections are over Harshberger said the Synergy party candidates thanked the student body for their support and and nd they are still determined to represent the students students students stu stu- stu- stu dents in the senate chambers A 0 |