The ASUI Senate unanimously passed a bill Wednesday tweaking campaigning rules and regulations.
The bill proposes that campaign materials and apparel may be stored in the ASUI office as long as they are not actively displayed or available to influence students.
During the 2018 ASUI Presidential elections then-candidates Nicole Skinner and Carlos Vazquez were publicly reprimanded by ASUI elections coordinator for misusing office material to make it seem as if ASUI endorsed Skinner and Vazquez and candidates.
The elections coordinator later released an apology stating the violation was determined as inadvertent. At this point no campaign materials were allowed within the ASUI office. Skinner and Vazquez went on to win the election and currently serve as ASUI President and Vice president.
Director of Student Involvement Shawn O’Neal said that he fully endorsed the changes proposed in the bill and urged senators to pass it.
ASUI Senator Hannah Spear, who sponsored the bill, emphasized that campaigning in the ASUI office will continue to be prohibited.
Campaigning materials will be prohibited in University computer labs, however online campaigning will continue to be allowed.
The bill also proposed a decrease in the maximum amount of funding that candidates for the office of ASUI President and Vice President receive. The bills moved to lower the maximum to a $750 maximum as compared to the prior maximum of $1,250.
Sen. Jesse Smith said he believed that there should be no limitations on where campaigning should be allowed but he said he agrees with the proposed changes.
Candidate packets for open senate seats will become available Thursday, Oct. 11.
Sean Collins, ASUI Chief of Staff, told the senate a new chair was hired for the Public Relations board.
Collins also relayed on the behalf of ASUI President Nicole Skinner that the University of Idaho presidential search is underway, and that the first search committee committee meeting will be held Oct 23. Collins also said that Skinner is working on bring a polling location back on to campus for the upcoming mid-term elections.
O’Neal announced that ASUI will be providing a bus to Scarywood Oct 26. He also mentioned that ASUI is currently working in partnership with the Athletics Department to provide buses to the upcoming Vandal football game against Eastern Washington University on Oct 27.
Ellamae Burnell can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @EllamaeBurnell.