Election Regulations

Pursuant to Clause I1)1.2) the Returning Officer has issued the following regulations to govern the upcoming Student Union Elections.

a) Size of JMB entries
1. One full tabloid page (348mm up by 274mm across) for each candidate for sabbatical office
2. One quarter page (174mm up by 137mm across) for each candidate for executive or graduate executive office
3. One eighth page (87mm up by 137mm across) for each candidate for council delegate or NUS delegate.

b) Postal votes
1. Postal votes shall be sent from OUSU to an Oxford University email account as soon as possible after the application is received, and must be returned to that account not less than 24 hours before polling starts. The RO in the presence of 2 members of Elections Committee shall accurately transcribe the votes placed on the postal ballot paper onto a normal ballot paper, and enter them into the ballot box for their college. The RO shall then remove the names of those who have voted by post from the lists of voters.

c) Expenditure Limit
1. After inflation, the expenditure limits for this year are as follows:
i. £130 per sabbatical candidate or slate containing a sabbatical candidate
ii. £55 per executive or graduate executive candidate, or slate containing no sabbatical candidates but one or more graduate executive and/or executive candidate.
iii. £33 per council delegate or NUS delegate candidate, or slate containing no sabbatical, graduate executive or executive candidates, but one or more council delegate or NUS delegate candidate.
2. The following rules shall apply with regards to election materials that are to be included under the expenditure limits
i. Any and all materials used in the campaign must first be shown to the RO or a DRO. All such materials must be accompanied by a receipt showing the value of the items purchased. As the RO and DRO’s will not be available outside standard working hours candidates are advised to conduct this process as early as possible.
ii. Any “donations” received (ie. services or goods provided free of charge) must also be shown to the RO and will be costed at market rates and included in the expenditure limits.
iii.    If any materials are used that have not been cleared by the RO or a DRO severe financial penalties will be imposed.

d) Ballot Paper Descriptions
1. If more than one candidate / slate nominates under the same ballot paper description, the first to have nominated as such shall have that as their valid ballot paper description subject to the discretion of the Returning Officers and of the conditions of Standing Order C.2.e.

e) Media Participation
1. The RO should allow candidates to be interviewed by the student media only if the editors concerned agree to be bound by a contract drawn up by the RO, which shall include the proviso that the interview shall not be conducted by anyone who is either a candidate or an activist for one of the candidates being interviewed.

f) Definitions
1. "Notice" to a candidate or subject shall mean:
i. Notice in person, in writing or by fax to her/his lodge or such other address or fax number (if any) as previously agreed, by email to such email address (if any) as previously agreed, or via telephone call (including the leaving of a voicemail message) to such telephone number as previously agreed, or via SMS or pager to a previously agreed number. Such notice shall be deemed to have been given immediately upon delivery.
ii. A candidate or subject who is informed that s/he has information awaiting collection from the OUSU Offices shall be deemed to have received it 60 minutes after the RO's notification or from when they collect it from the OUSU Offices, whichever is sooner.
2. "Political party" means any national partisan political organisation, including all manner of subdivisions thereof.
3. "Political society" means any society which:
i. Is affiliated to a political party; or
ii. Is endorsing or proposing to endorse any candidate or slate
iii. Holds and promulgates views of a political nature

g) Construction
1. No electoral official shall be held to account, and no complaint upheld, in respect of
i. Any omission in the fulfillment of his /her obligations under these regulations or standing orders, where that omission was wholly and unavoidably caused by outside events.
ii. The exercise of any discretionary power granted under these regulations or standing orders, unless the exercise of that power was either purposely unfair to anyone involved in the election; or where it was exercised by an official in a situation where s/he did not have the authority to exercise such a power.

h) Activists
Every candidate shall be responsible for registering with the RO any person who is active on his/her behalf 24 hours prior to the open of polls.