Elections (Committee)

AUTHORITY:
This Code is established under Article VIII and Article XV of the Associated Students Constitution.

PURPOSE:
The purpose of this Code is to establish the office of the Elections Committee and to outline and define the duties and responsibilities of the Elections Committee.

DATE OF EFFECTIVENESS:
This Code shall be effective when approved by a majority vote of the Associated Students Senate.

AMENDMENTS:
This Code may be amended by a majority of the total voting membership of the Senate.

I. Appointment, Tenure and Responsibility

A. Elections Committee

1. Members of the Elections Committee are appointed by the A.S. President and approved by the A.S. Senate.

2. Members of the Elections Committee serve one-year terms, concurrent with the A.S. President’s term of office.

3. Members of the Elections Committee are directly responsible for the discharge of their duties to the Chair of Elections.

4. Members of the Elections Committee must be students in good standing as defined in Article V, Section 1 of the A.S. Constitution.

5. Members of the Elections Committee shall not hold any other A.S. office, nor will they be eligible for election to any other A.S. office, nor shall they take part in any campaign for or against any candidate(s) or ballot issue(s) during their term in office, with the exception of the right to vote.

6. Any person who is a member of the Elections Committee at any point during an academic year is ineligible to run within that same academic year.

II. Elections Committee Membership

A. Voting membership of this committee shall consist of:

1. The Chair of Elections (who may vote only to make or break ties)

2. The Assistant Chair of Elections

3. No fewer than four and no more than 7 committee members

B. Non-voting, ex-officio members of this committee shall consist of:

1. Student Leadership Manager

2. The University Advisor appointed through the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs

3. The AS Vice President

4. A Senate Representative should be appointed by the AS President

5. Staff Representative from the University Student Union

III. Meetings

A. The A.S. Elections Committee shall meet bi-weekly during the fall semester and at least once a week during the spring semester.

1. Meeting shall be held on a day that works for all committee members.

B. Natural Disaster/Emergency Section:

1. Once CSUN has declared an emergency on campus and moved into a remote setting, all meetings should be held remotely until being allowed back on campus.

C. Quorum and Absences:

1. Quorum for the A.S. Elections Committee shall be:

a. At least four voting members present, including the Chair of Elections.

b. At least one of the two advisors need to be present.

2. Committee members are expected to attend each official committee meeting for the

full duration of the meeting.

i.. Committee members who have three unexcused absences or five absences total will be considered as having vacated their seat; exceptions can be made at the discretion of the Chair of Elections. Absences will be recorded in the minutes.

ii. Failure to attend the entire Election Committee meeting (which is to be understood as from initial roll call to final roll call) will be considered late. Two late arrivals will be considered the equivalent of one excused absence. Exceptions will be made by the Chair of Elections as deemed appropriate.

IV. Responsibilities

A. The Elections Committee shall be responsible for fulfilling three primary goals:

1. The recruitment of students to run for office in the A.S. Elections.

2. The recruitment of students to vote in A.S. Elections.

3. The administration of a secure elections process.

a. In order to fulfill these goals and at the discretion of the Chair of Elections, the Elections Committee shall work with the A.S. Coordinator of Marketing and Public Relations to develop an elections marketing plan, including a theme, materials, and key information designed to inform the student body about an upcoming elections. This may entail:

i. Making marketing presentations for classrooms, online meetings, and club/organization meetings to publicize election information.

ii. Recruiting Senators and Cabinet Members, who are not running in the elections, to help with election publicity and marketing.

iii. Recruiting, training and managing elections employees, a street team of paid student workers, to publicize the elections prior to, and on the days of an election.

iv.. Publicizing voting information, election dates, election times, and election locations, at least two school days before each election.

v. Setting up and supervising all polling stations to be open from 8 am to 6 pm on each day of voting.

g. Members of the Elections Committee shall be assigned to supervise each polling station during their operating hours.

h. Members of the Elections Committee are responsible for accounting for all official elections materials assigned to the polling station area they are supervising.

i. Members of the Elections Committee may observe, document and collect complaints from candidates at polling stations during the hours they are officially open.

j. Hearing all formal complaints and rendering binding decisions concerning election disputes and violations of any codes related to Elections, the A.S. Constitution, and those applicable university rules and regulations.

k. Disclose to the campus population that elected positions may receive a noncompensatory scholarship (stipend) as approved in the annual budget.

REGULATION:

The Elections Committee shall, in the execution of its responsibilities, uphold and policies of the:

• The United States Constitution
• The State of California
• California State University, Northridge
• Associated Students

PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY:

The parliamentary authority for the Associated Students Elections Committee shall be the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised.

ENABLING CAUSE:

This Code shall supersede all Codes on the AS Elections Committee passed prior to November 28, 2022.

Approved on: October 31, 2022 (16-0-0)
Amended on: November 28, 2022 (16-0-0)