IUSA ready for elections

Marking the first official day of the IU Student Association election season, the IUSA president explained the rules to a handful of potential candidates Thursday at Ballantine Hall. Two tickets are expected to announce their candidacies Sunday.\nPresident Meredith Suffron, a senior, handed out the timeline for the election and pointed out key dates. \nApplications will be available Thursday at the Indiana Memorial Union Student Activities Office and are due Feb. 1. \nExecutive candidates will debate Feb. 8\nThe IUSA election will be held Feb. 20-21. Students will vote on paper ballots or online, Suffron said.\nCandidates will be organizing their tickets, deciding on goals and looking for votes in the next few weeks, said senior Steven Bierly, treasurer. He said he hopes the candidates will be dedicated to improving the campus.\n"It's easy to get into a schedule and lose your focus," he said. "If you have a big plan, you have to make sure you don't get lost in the little things."\nBierly said it's a chance for current officers to see if their initiatives will be continued. \nThis year's election schedule will differ slightly from last year's schedule, Suffron said. At Thursday's meeting, she said special attention will be paid to a few rules governing the election.\nE-mail messages sent by candidates will be limited to single addresses, except within the ticket, she said. Also, election officials will strictly enforce a rule keeping election business outside of the IUSA offices.\n"(Election business) distracts people from what they're there for," Suffron said. "No matter who they are or what they're doing, it's outside of the office."\nSuffron said questions about the elections should be directed to the elections commission's e-mail account, iusaelec@indiana.edu.\nRules limiting spending to $1,000 for executive tickets, banning campaigning within 50 feet of a polling site -- including computer labs -- and other election regulations will be enforced by 10 election commissioners, Suffron said. They are also responsible for tabulating votes.\nIt is "a chance to do something different," said senior Matt Feczko, one of the commissioners.\nAlthough candidates may now announce and begin campaigning, they still must apply and meet certain residency, academic and application requirements.\n"They're not formally running until they sign up," Suffron said.\nExecutive candidates have to receive 40 percent of the vote or lead by 20 percent to win. If no executive ticket meets these requirements, a run-off will be held the week after the election.\nCurrent IUSA members said the elections are a highlight of their time on campus.\n"Student government elections offer new and returning students an opportunity to get involved in the University community and to meet friends," said junior Ben Piper, co-director of the IUSA legislative relations office.