With midterm elections rapidly approaching for candidates across the county, Ohio University Student Senate will focus on preparations for next spring’s senate elections at their Wednesday meeting.
With midterm elections rapidly approaching for candidates across the county, Ohio University Student Senate will focus on preparations for next spring’s senate elections at their Wednesday meeting.
As decided by conversation at last week’s meeting, Minority Affairs, International Affairs, LGBTQ and Women’s Affairs commissions will all receive additional senators to better represent their populations on campus, if their respective resolutions are passed.
Minority Affairs, International Affairs and LGBTQ commissions could gain two senators, while Women’s Affairs could gain four, said Caitlyn McDaniel, senate’s vice president.
Each of these commissions could have four voting spots, if approved by the body. The Women’s Affairs commission could have six.
“We feel it is more representative of the demographics on campus,” McDaniel said. “We have a lot of women, and we’ve also decided to mandate that in the WAC 3 of those positions be held by women from minority groups, whether they be women of color, women with disabilities or differing abilities, or women from LGBTQ community.”
Also at Wednesday night’s meeting, a resolution will be proposed to change the amount of election funds senate candidates may draw from. This resolution is part of senate’s “election overhaul,” McDaniel explained.
“There hasn’t been much of a cap,” she said. “Obviously, some students can only fundraise a certain amount, whereas other students, if they come from a wealthy background and have wealthy friends, it’s much easier for them to fundraise. We wanted to kind of close that gap.”
If the resolution is passed, a cap would be placed on the amount candidates can collect through fundraising. Independent candidate fundraising would be capped at $50, while fundraising for those running on a ticket would be capped at $100.
In addition, new rules would state that senate will fund non-executive independent candidates with $10 per candidate. Executive independent candidates would be awarded $20, and parties can receive $10 per non-executive candidate and $20 per executive candidate.
This resolution would allow independents, those running on a ticket, new senate members and past senate members alike to receive senate funding for their campaigns.
Senate will also vote to shorten the campaign season for senate candidates to 14 days. Previously, election campaigns have spanned 24 days, “which was crazy, let me tell you,” McDaniel said.
