Elections Administration Committee

Violations and Complaints

Complaints

Complaints can be filed by anyone who believes a candidate, ticket, ballot measure affiliate, or affiliate of a candidate/ticket violated something in the EPP. To file a violation, please download and fill out the ASUW ELECTIONS COMPLAINT FORM 2024 linked below. Please email the completed form to SAO Associate Director, Christina Coop, at cmcoop@uw.edu AND the Judicial Committee’s Secretary of Judgements, Sejal Dogiparthi, at asuwjudi@uw.edu no later than Monday, April 22nd, 2024 at 5:00 PM .

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Violations

Violations are classified as minor, major, or severe and convey the following penalties (a fine, community service, or disqualification) based on the guidelines provided in the EPP:

  • Minor: Each violation has a mandatory penalty of no less than 1 hour but not exceeding 3 hours of community service. To be minor the violation must have been unintentional and corrected within one business day of receiving written notice from the EAC, must not have impacted another candidate, the elections process, or the University as a whole, and the violation occurred fewer than two times.
    • Any “minor” violations corrected within 24 hours of the EAC’s notification to the relevant parties may be dismissed at the Elections Complaints Hearing, but the committee shall have the opportunity to judge whether it has been justly corrected. 
    • A “minor” violation is a simple infraction of Section VI: Campaigning, except for when it involves an employee of SAO, ASUW, or the University of Washington; or failure to attend one of the mandated EAC Ethics Seminars. 
  • Major: Each violation has a mandatory penalty of no less than 3 hours but not exceeding 8 hours of community service hours. Major violations also constitute grounds for disqualification if the Judicial Committee deems the violation gave the respondent an undue advantage. To be major the violation must have had a greater impact than a minor violation or was not corrected within one business day of receiving written notice from the EAC. Major violations can be uncorrected minor violations.
    • Any “major” violations corrected within 24 hours of the EAC’s notification to the relevant parties shall consider their complaints lowered to 1 hour of community service with the approval of the Judicial Committee, with complete dismissal requiring recommendation from the Judicial Committee.  
    • Examples of “major” violations include but are not limited to, violations of Sections III: Candidacy and Filing and Section VIII: Campaign Finance, or failure to uphold a strong code of ethics. 
  • Severe: Each violation has a mandatory penalty of no less than 8 hours but not exceeding 12 hours of community service, as well as mandatory default disqualification unless the Judicial Committee determines that extenuating or mitigating circumstances reduce the actual severity of the violation. Severe violations include actions that result in substantial injustice to other candidates, the elections process, or the University as a whole.
    • Any “severe” violations corrected within 24 hours of the EAC’s notification to the relevant parties shall consider their complaints, with the approval of the Judicial Committee, lowered to 3 hours of community service hours, with complete dismissal requiring recommendation from the Judicial Committee.  
    • Examples of “severe” violations include, but are not limited to:
      • Seeking endorsements prior to the Campaign Start Date 
      • Violating any applicable law 
      • Tampering or altering any official election material or ballot 
      • Using force, threat, or unlawful means to hinder or deter any voter from voting, or to obtain a vote for or against any candidate or ballot measure 
      • Directly or indirectly offering any bribe, reward, or anything of a fair market value greater than a dollar to a voter in an attempt to change or persuade any student’s voting decision. 
      • Provide or operate any voting station, computer, or other device with the intent that such device be used to mark or submit ballots. 

For more information, see Section IX of the EPP.

Complaints Hearing

If a violation is filed against you or you file a complaint, a hearing will be held on Wednesday, April 24th, 2024 at 6:00 PM (Room TBD) by the Judicial Committee, where the complainant and the respondent will have the opportunity to make opening statements, call witnesses, and explain their side of the allegation. Either a judgment or a dismissal will be made by the Judicial Committee, which will be presented by a committee member to the Board of Directors. The complainant and respondent will have the opportunity to make a statement to the Board before they make a decision. The Board of Directors shall have the final say on all election complaints, and any entities found guilty will be directed to SAO for the completion of their community service hours or the payment of any fines.