Aspiring candidates for positions ranging from student body president to Yell Leader are now campaigning for the upcoming elections this week.
All candidates have a fixed amount of money they are allowed to spend during the campaigning season. The highly regulated campaign period includes multiple stages that dictate acceptable behavior, and will include a debate which will be held Tuesday.
All candidates are responsible for financing their own campaigns, according to Rachel Keathley, election commissioner and business honors senior.
“Candidates spend their own money on their campaigns in the student body elections,” Keathley said. “Different positions have different budget restrictions, as in the maximum amount students can spend on their campaign, including any fines they may receive in the process of campaigning. If they exceed their budget, they will be disqualified.”
Keathley said for student body president, the amount not to be exceeded is $2,000. For Yell Leaders, it’s $1,800, for class president it’s $400, for student senator it’s $250, for RHA president it’s $300 and all other candidates may not exceed $150.
The different stages of the campaigning period have their own respective restrictions, Keathley said.
“Beginning Feb. 20 we will be in the general campaigning period, which will be the majority of campaigning i.e. banner holding, flyers,” Keathley said.
“Additionally, we will have the student body president debate Tuesday evening at 7 p.m. in the Flag Room.
General campaigning will end on Wednesday at midnight. On Thursday and Friday — voting days — candidates will campaign under “modified campaigning,” which is limited to holding signs and wearing campaign T-shirts, Keathley said.
Voting will start at 9 a.m. Thursday and will close at noon on Friday. Students can vote at vote.tamu.edu.