Learning The Ropes
RUSA Election seasons start with several info sessions held around every campus. The purpose of these sessions is to get new members informed on how RUSA elections work and see if they want to join the assembly. At info sessions typically a student will find someone to help them join a ticket in the election, however, a student can run independently if they so choose.
Information Sessions
The Elections Commssion will discuss and answer questions about the timeline, and guidelines of the RUSA Election. Candidates, upon request, will be provided with RUSA’s Elections Guidelines, including the “Declaration of Intent.” You are free to drop in at any time to receive the information. If you cannot make any of the Information Sessions, please email the Elections Commission at rusa.elections@gmail.com. The Elections Commssion can send you a recorded version of one of the zoom sessions as well as share the Power Point used in the presentation. The Elections Commission will also send the quiz that needs to be taken after viewing the session.
Declaring Your Candidacy
After a student wants to join the assembly and run in an election, they must submit their Declaration of Intent (DOI) by a certain date specifying the position they are running for, the ticket they are on if at all, and a statement about your candidacy.
Getting The Word Out!
The main and most exciting part of the RUSA elections season is the campaigning and election period itself. During this time, you and your ticket will create flyers and go around the campuses to put them up and hand them out and use social media and work of mouth to spread the word to vote for you. Then once the election period starts, you will have 7 days to get as many votes as possible. Once the voting period ends, the results will be released by the elections committee.
Campaigning Period
During this period, candidates are encouraged to actively campaign and solicit support. See the Elections Code for specific rules governing campaigning and solicitation of votes.
Elections Period
During this period, eligible students at Rutgers University may actively vote for candidates in the elections. This period may be extended by the Elections Committee in accordance with the Elections Code. An official notice will be sent to all candidates and the student body of the open and close time of the Ballots.
Announcement of Preliminary Results
Preliminary results will be announced within 24 hours of the conclusion of the Elections. The deadline for certifying the results will be 10 days after the announcement of the results unless certification is delayed under the order of the Elections Appeals Committee.
Keep Track of Your Spending
A very important thing to remember during an election season is budgets. If any money is spent to aid in the election for a ticket, that ticket must record every cent spent and submit it to the elections committee after the election period. Failure to do so or do so incorrectly could result in immediate disqualification.
Did Someone Violate the Elections Code? Appeal It!
If there are any issues from the results of the elections, or complaints during any portion of the election season, an individual may write up and submit an appeal. An appeal is an official complaint explaining wrongdoings or misdemeanors committed by an individual or entire ticket in an election season. Depending on the severity of the appeal, and if the elections committee rules in favor of the writer of the appeal, an individual or ticket may be disqualified from the election. However, appeals are not some loophole to dig up dirt on an opponent in the hopes to disqualify them. They are not a spiteful weapon. Appeals are a formal and serious complaint that the elections code was violated. In life, we all take losses and we have to live them and learn from them. Do NOT write appeals lightly, it will only cause you and the appellee more stress than is needed. Appeals may be submitted at any time until the deadline, consistent with the rules and regulations of the Elections Code. Pursuant to the Elections Code, on issues concerning budgetary reports, appeals by the Elections Committee may be pursued up to two days after the budget deadline.