University of Colorado
University of Colorado Student Union
Legislative Council
January 28, 2010
72LCB#3 – Candidate
Petition Signature Requirement Reform
Sponsored by: Daniel
Ramos Tri-Executive
Blaine Pellicore Legislative Council
President
Alexander
Schnell Election
Commissioner
Christine
Thai Tri-Executive
Authored by: Daniel
Ramos Tri-Executive
Alexander
Schnell Election
Commissioner
Blaine
Pellicore Legislative
Council President
Candidate Petition Signature Requirement Reform
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Bill History
Upon declaring an interest in running for UCSU elections, candidates must obtain a petition and collect signatures from their peers in order to get on the ballot. This process was intended to allow/encourage students to talk to those signing their petition about running for election, their ideas, and to ask for their support. The number of signatures required has been a barrier to students making it onto the ballot. The number of students who obtain petitions from UCSU and declare their intent to run is far less than the number of students who turn in completed petitions to put them on the ballot. With the number of required signatures being so high, potential candidates have to focus on getting a lot of signatures in a small amount of time, therefore causing them to focus more on numbers than on connecting with students. With this change, students have more opportunity to speak with other students and garner their support through the petition process.
An additional intention
of this legislation is to provide more opportunity for competitive elections.
Lower signature requirements will give more opportunity for more tickets and/or
independent candidates to get on the ballot. The intention is that more
competitive elections will yield higher voter turnout in UCSU elections.
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Bill Summary
This bill will rewrite § 402(b) (2) and (3) of the UCSU
Election Code to lower the number of candidate
petition signatures
required for
both Executive and Representative-at-large candidates.
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THEREFORE BE IT ENACTED by the Legislative Council of
the University of Colorado Student Union, THAT,
Section 1: SECTION 402(b) (2) shall read: Applicants for candidacy for Representative-at-large shall submit a petition with valid signatures and student identification numbers from 75 registered UCSU fee-paying students.
Section 2: SECTION 402(b) (3)
shall read: Applicants for Executive shall submit a petition with valid signatures and student identification
numbers from 150 registered UCSU fee-paying students.
Section 3: SECTION 402(b)(4) shall
read: Each individual candidate shall be responsible for obtaining their
signatures. Therefore, only one name shall appear on a
petition and also include the office sought by the candidate. If
declared, the petition may also include the name of the candidate’s ticket.
Section 4:
This bill shall take effect upon passage by the Legislative
Council and upon either obtaining the signatures of two Tri-Executives
or the lapse of six days without action by the Tri-Executives.3
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Vote
Count:
1/28/10 Amendment on number of
signatures 8-6-1
1/28/10 Amendment changing number
of signatures and
adding new Section 3 7-5-3
1/28/10 Passed
on 1st reading Acclamation
2/4/10 Passed
on 2nd reading Acclamation
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________ _____________________
Blaine Pellicore Thomas
Higginbothame
Legislative Council President Tri-Executive
_____________________ _____________________
Daniel Ramos Christine
Thai
Tri-Executive Tri-Executive