Undergraduate students are kick-starting their spring ASUNM campaigning season this week.
Jason Belitz, elections commission chairman for ASUNM, said the elections commission is taking extra measures this semester to ensure that senatorial candidates follow the rules.
They will chalk a perimeter around the polling locations so that there is a clear line between campaigning and violating ASUNM regulations.
Belitz said the rules mandate that candidates avoid campaigning within 25 feet of polling areas, refrain from dorm-storming - which involves slipping fliers underneath the doors of people's rooms or knocking on doors to solicit votes for their campaigns - and must not spend more than the $150 budget allotted to their group or slate.
Candidates pay for their own campaigns, he said.
Belitz said all candidates are given a rundown on the campaign rules before the election date.
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Twenty-seven candidates are competing for 10 senatorial positions, three candidates for vice president and two candidates for president.
Potential ASUNM senators often form a united front by banding together in slates. The slates then compete for endorsements from fraternities, sororities and other on-campus groups. Slates are often composed of 10 senatorial candidates, one vice presidential candidate and one presidential candidate.
In this semester's election, there are three slates - RISE, Lobos Unidos and Liber - and one independent student running for office.
ASUNM Sen. Christopher George said slates are usually formed by candidates who have been on Senate before and are interested in running for re-election or for a higher office.
George said that slates recruit members in a fashion similar to caucuses, by weeding through prospective candidates and conducting multiple interviews before deciding which individuals would best fit into the political dynamic of the slate.
"If you don't get on a slate, your chances of getting onto ASUNM are slim to none, and if slates dominate an election, oftentimes they will dominate aspects of Senate the next semester," George said.
Belitz said the commission doesn't recognize slates and refuses to name them on the ballot. Each candidate is listed individually, and this helps level the playing field for any student who wants to campaign for senatorial positions, he said.
Belitz said breaches in the rules have occurred in the past and that students who have received senatorial positions after violating the rules have been admonished.
Although rules violations are not common, they have been a problem during the last two semesters, Belitz said.
Despite the stricter enforcement this year, students shouldn't think ASUNM elections violations are habitual, Belitz said.
"It's not that common of a thing," he said. "People sort of think it is because it happened the last two consecutive semesters - there's been an issue with that - but prior to that, it hasn't been that big of a deal, but we're going to make some changes to make sure that it doesn't happen again. Our goal is to have a contest where everybody understands the rules and everybody follows the rules."
Student Alberto Gutierrez said he pays attention when potential ASUNM senators are lobbying for his support with their chalk-drawn advertisements, ribbons and campaign pins.
"I am a chair of the Art Student Association, and so having the support of ASUNM senators and people who are involved in student government helps us become a more efficient student organization," Gutierrez said.
Student James Gallimore said he has yet to participate in ASUNM elections.
"To be honest, I don't know much about student government here and haven't put much thought into it because I just transferred here, but if I were to look more into stuff, I might take interest in it," he said.
