Election rules, ed. 2: Slates

Analysis

One interesting newish (used for the first time two years ago, in 2006) rule is campaign slates — groups of candidates campaigning "on the same team," as it were.

The intent of the policy was to alleviate the non-official slates that formed at other universities with a four vice-president system (also brought in at UMSU for 2006), and in this aim, they have worked well. I do believe that there are some places where the inarticulateness of the policy could make problems for the CRO, but with any luck this will be a good, clean election (unlike the one at Ryerson).

Anyway, back to slates — here's the relevant UMSU policy.

Slates
12. Candidates may run in slates of up to 5 candidates, each running for a different position.
13. No candidate may simultaneously run as part of more than 1 slate.
14. Candidates running as a slate shall be permitted to identify themselves using a slate name, which may appear on
campaign materials. Slate names require approval by the CRO, and must be submitted in writing to the CRO.
Individual members of a slate must use campaign materials specific to that individual, however, reference to other
members on the slate is permitted.
15. The slate name or an abbreviation thereof shall appear on the ballot following the candidates’ names. Slates may
request a particular abbreviation of their slate name, but the CRO shall ultimately determine what slate name
appears on the ballot. If no slate name is identified by the slate, only the candidates’ names shall appear on the
ballot.
16. No slate shall choose a slate name which is the same as that of a registered federal or provincial political party.
Where 2 or more similar slate names are submitted to appear on the ballot for a slate, the CRO shall choose which
names appear on the ballot.
17. All expenses of candidates will be calculated individually.