Photo by Amanda Erickson/The Griff

CRO Josh Stock’s report highlights some inconsistencies in the SAMU Elections and Referenda policy and procedure.

It has been almost two months since the new students’ council election, and Josh Stock, SAMU’s chief returning officer (CRO), provided an election report, along with recommendations to improve future SAMU elections. 

A key responsibility for the CRO is to ensure that elections adhere to SAMU’s bylaws, policies, and procedures. Policy dictates that the CRO cannot be a member of SAMU. 

Stock wrote that seven candidates in the last election were disqualified for failing to provide an expense report by the deadline. Stock also reported that a candidate used unapproved campaign posters, which included the logos of SAMU and MacEwan.

According to SAMU’s Elections and Referenda policy and its subsequent procedure document, candidates must obtain the CRO’s approval before publicly posting printed campaign materials. 

In the past, candidates were eligible to incur campaign expenses up to $250. However, the recent election saw it increase to $375 in eligible expenses. According to Stock’s report, candidates who were disqualified may have spent a “relatively insignificant amount of their own money on campaign, which is not eligible to be reimbursed.” 

Stock suggested reviewing eligible reimbursements in the future, although he noted that candidates already receive numerous reminders about the deadline for submitting expense reports. 

Stock also suggested changing wording in the elections and referenda procedures document, along with its corresponding policy document, to clarify the CRO’s role in approving campaign materials. Currently, the procedure document states that “[t]he CRO has the right to refuse authorization of print campaign materials,” which, according to Stock, appears to eliminate the requirement for candidates to submit campaign materials. Whereas the policy document states, “Campaign materials are approved by the CRO,” implying the CRO has no choice but to approve materials. 

Stock’s last recommendation is for SAMU to provide painter’s tape or any other approved tape to future election candidates at no cost. Stock noted that in almost every SAMU election, at least one candidate has used non-permitted tapes for their posters. In the most recent election,  Alan Honey, the returning officer, discovered that a candidate had used unapproved packing tape, which had left damage to the wall. 

Next up is the election for SAMU’s executive committee, which will be held near the tail end of the upcoming winter semester.