ASUNM punished a newly elected senator after he received complaints about his campaigning.
The Associated Students of UNM Elections Committee decided to reprimand Sen. Christopher George after it received four complaints stating that he violated elections codes while campaigning April 15.
George will have his voting rights revoked for his first month as a senator.
The complaints said George, who was on the Vision slate, campaigned inside the SUB and within 25 feet of Zimmerman Library.
ASUNM elections codes specify that candidates cannot campaign within 25 feet of a polling place.
The complaints also said George violated the elections codes by assisting other campaign workers. The complaints said George helped pass out fliers inside the SUB.
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Howl slate members Adrian Carver, Spencer Moya, Saliha Qasemi and Niki Manole each submitted a complaint.
Elections Commission Chairman Nas Manole said the committee considered revoking George's seat but decided against it.
Carver said ASUNM candidates must respect the rules.
"I think it's important to make sure that students understand that there are processes and rules not just for the sake of rules," Carver said. "There are regulations that constrain you on how you campaign so that everyone has a fair chance in being elected to office."
Manole said the 25-foot rule is meant to prevent candidates from harassing voters.
George said it was his first time running for ASUNM, and it was a learning process for him.
"I feel like the punishment doesn't take into account the fact that I was fully ignorant of my transgression and there was no malicious intent behind it," he said. "It was purely a mistake."
Manole said all candidates were informed of the rules.
"Chris George actually asked a question about the 25-foot rule," Manole said. "It was something to the effect of, 'How are you going to police all these people?'"
George pointed out that the complaints against him came from people who lost their elections.
Manole said slate rivalry was not the reason George received so many complaints.
"I don't think that was the issue at all," he said. "It was just a student candidate that made a mistake, and a lot of people saw it."
George said the committee's decision was upsetting.
"It makes me sad that I probably was singled out for whatever reason because I'm an obnoxious, flashy personality," he said.
Members of the Howl slate also complained that the Vision slate didn't accurately report all its expenditures.
A bag pipe player campaigned on behalf of the Vision slate for about an hour, the complaint said.
ASUNM president Ashley Fate said she had included the cost of hiring the bag pipe player in her financial statement.
"It's not that he wasn't on the financial form," she said. "He was actually claimed on the financial form for 15 minutes."
However, Fate wasn't aware the musician had been playing longer, she said.
She apologized for the mistake and agreed to a fine of $11.25 per senatorial candidate.
