Sweeping changes are in order for Sacramento State’s student election code after Associated Students Inc. President Josh Wood proposed reforms at the ASI board meeting on Feb. 9.Board members discussed adjusting campaign finance rules and the future of online elections on campus.

Wood says he supports bringing campaign spending rules and slates back to where they were before they were changed under former ASI president Peter Ucovich in April 2004.”The election code should not hinder students that are running for office,” Wood told the board.

Under the current election code rules, a single candidate for executive office can spend $100. A candidate for Board of Directors position can spend $50.

” From personal experience, the previous numbers were frustratingly low,” said Nicki Croly, Director of Education.

Candidates can’t combine funds under the current rules.

Under Wood’s initial proposal, candidates for executive office would be allowed to spend up to $500 on their individual campaign including donations.

Candidates for Board of Director positions could spend up to $300 on their individual campaigns, including donations.

” An increase is needed, but I think those figures are a little high,” said Sophia Albov, director of Natural Sciences and Mathematics.

Wood’s proposal also calls for candidates under the same slate to combine funds if they want. The board also showed concerns regarding campaign expense reports.

In the Spring 2004 election, campaign expenditures were the focus of controversy. The yellow slate, headed by Executive Vice President candidate Chris Lange, was accused of forging campaign receipts to stay under the spending limit.

“We need much clearer language in spending reports,” Croly said.

Concerns over donations from outside campus were also brought up. Wood’s proposal allows candidates to solicit up to $250 in donations from non-campus special interest groups, like political organizations or non-profits.

” I don’t think it’s necessarily appropriate,” Albov said. “Some candidates would have an advantage over others by knowing a lot of people off campus. It shouldn’t be a popularity contest.”

Patricia Worley, ASI executive director, noted something significant missing from Wood’s election code proposal. Worley believes the election code should address online voting and its role in Sacramento State’s future.

The first online election was held in December’s special election for Measures 1 and 2. A total of 5 percent of the student population voted in the online election, the minimum needed for a valid election.

” If the board decides to go toward online voting instead of traditional voting, it needs to be addressed in this code,” Worley said. ” We need guidelines for online voting or campaigning.”

Luke Wood, reappointed as Vice President of Academic Affairs just minutes earlier, prefers online voting to traditional voting at polls.

” Online voting is good because it’s cost effective for us,” Luke Wood said. ” And if we’re going to do it, we should open up computer terminals on campus to make it more accessible.”

Josh Wood intends to revise his election code proposal by adding online election guidelines.

” I’m going to move for computer polling places, to set them up on campus,” Josh Wood said.

James Shelby II, Vice President of Finance, expressed concern over candidates campaigning within 50 feet of polling stations. The current code and Wood’s proposal prohibits campaigning in those areas.

” Last election I don’t think the 50 ft. policy was enforced,” Shelby said. ” We need to enforce it. I thought the last eletion was a mockery in terms of that.” The ASI board members will reconvene today.