Sacramento State’s Associated Students, Inc. is looking for potential candidates to run for the board of directors for the upcoming 2021-2022 school year.

Eligible candidates who are looking to run can attend an informational campaign workshop, held Feb. 5 at 1 p.m.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Samantha A. Elizalde (she/her) (@sacstateasievp)

“We have been holding a ‘hands on’ workshop on running for office for the last few years,” ASI Executive and Board Associate Lisa Dalton said.

ASI President Noah Marty has gone through the election process several times throughout his college career and stresses the importance of attending these workshops.

“The workshop helps ensure that all candidates have all the information that they need about how to campaign, but also the rules that they must follow along with the deadlines they must meet,” Marty said.

Students who are in good academic standing and have a grade point average of 2.5 or greater will be eligible to run for office. Other requirements include completing a certain number of residency units at Sac State, depending on the position. Applications to run for office are due March 5 at 4 p.m.

After candidates turn in their application to the Hornet Hub, Executive ASI Director Sandra Gallardo will verify the candidate’s eligibility and notify eligible candidates, according to the ASI website. 

Candidates must then attend a mandatory candidate workshop, which will take place Feb. 24 and Feb. 26, and a mandatory ethics workshop, which will take place on March 9 and March 11.

Afterward, candidates are allowed to gather campaign materials and can start their campaigns March 18 at 7 a.m. so long as candidates follow the campaigning rules outlined in the elections code, including not spending over $350 on campaigning.

Elections will take place on April 7 and 8. 

RELATED: ASI announces schedule for its 2021 elections, support for Prop 16

Candidates can apply for a grant of up to $125 from ASI to help reimburse the cost of campaign expenditures following the election.

Members of the ASI Board of Directors will be awarded scholarships in the amount of 35-70% of the annual cost of attendance for living off campus, as stated in ASI’s operating rules. For the 2021-2022 school year, ASI’s Instagram page states the scholarships will range from $9,000 to $18,000 depending on the position. Members of the ASI Board of Directors also get priority registration for classes.

To protect candidates from bullying while campaigning online, the ASI government office has contingencies in place in regard to inappropriate criticism or hate toward candidates both while campaigning and on social media.

RELATED: Sac State ASI candidates campaign online amid COVID-19 pandemic

“We would take any necessary steps per campus policy if inappropriate language was used on the official ASI social media pages,” Dalton said. “Additionally, any student can file an elections complaint if there are any documented violations of the elections code.”