Posted on 02/14/2011 7:38:36 AM PST by tysonbam
The Student Senate and its Election Commission might think it is OK to arbitrarily infringe on candidates' freedom of speech by making rules against speaking to the press or student organizations and determining when candidates may campaign, but if I wanted my elections like that I would move to Venezuela.
Election Commissioner Cameron Medlin sent out an e-mail discouraging potential candidates from speaking with The Battalion for fear of violating election rules.
This issue stems from S.B. 63-53 in Article III Section 5 "Campaigning" with particular attention paid to the pre-campaigning portion
"During the pre-campaign period, the candidate may only speak about their platform to individual students. During this period, candidates are also given the Monday prior to the start of general campaigning to speak to student organizations."
The idea that the Student Senate and the election commission think limiting a candidate's ability to speak with their constituents is a good idea is frightening.
"At the discretion of the Commissioner, candidates may be allowed to speak to local or campus media outlets for quote or press concerning their candidacy and campaign during the pre-campaign period."
Intimidating candidates from speaking to publications like The Battalion isn't just blindly following the rules, it is "at the discretion of the Commissioner." This was a choice Medlin made.
Why would the Student Senate hamper an Aggie's ability to self-promote and inform students? Why should enthusiastic candidates be burdened by time constraints if they want to work longer and harder to get elected?
Finally, most disconcerting is that the Election Commissioner isn't even following the poorly written legislation. If you'll notice all these rules are designed for candidates. In the pre-election period no one is a candidate. There are only potential candidates.
Article III Section IV on "Candidate Mandates" states: "By filing, the candidate agrees to abide by these Election Regulations."
Actions before filing are completely out of the purview of S.B. 63-53 and Medlin.
This unique blunder of overreach has however provided a unique opportunity for me to go ahead and introduce myself by announcing my candidacy for student body president.
I am a 12th-year junior economics major who enjoys long walks on the beach, free speech, punching kittens and thinks candidates who let oppressive election commissioners intimidate them into silence before elections aren't worth a paper ballot. I also despise poorly written Student Senate bills that claim to "increase voter turnout" then bully candidates into silence until the "campaigning period begins."
I hope you will all vote for me, Taylor Wolken, the only candidate whose first step toward student body president wasn't taken with his tail between his legs.
Universities stopped being about open debate and the search for truth when conservatives lost control of them.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.