The Carleton University Students’ Association(CUSA) elections office has ruled that campaign materials such as T-shirts, hats, and pins can be worn anywhere on-campus, and wearing them alone is not considered campaigning.
The ruling came after some candidates expressed concern with wearing T-shirts endorsing a candidate or slate being a form of campaigning.
Ruth Lau MacDonald, an independent candidate running for CUSA vice-president (internal), said the elections office’s decision contravenes the impartiality clause of the CUSA electoral code, which states that all CUSA businesses and service centres must remain impartial during the election.
“The restrictions really are around our service centres and around our businesses so those remain a-political spaces where students just go to be served,” MacDonald said, and added that she has seen students wearing T-shirts endorsing candidates in those spaces.
Under the clarification to the electoral code, it would not be considered a violation for someone to enter a CUSA-run business, such as Henry’s or Rooster’s, wearing a branded item of clothing. If they were to campaign there, however, it would still be a violation.
Frano Cavar, Chief Electoral Officer of the election, said the matter was being dealt with internally and could not yet comment on the concerns over the clarification.
In it’s ruling on the issue, the CUSA elections office said “wearing an article of clothing related to a campaign is not itself campaigning.”
But MacDonald said she disagrees with the ruling on the basis that T-shirts are funded by campaign expenses.
“If it’s a campaign expense, and it’s something you wear, and it’s branded with your team’s logo then I think that’s a campaign material,” she said.
Candidates were allowed to wear branded items of clothing in this year’s election after an update to the CUSA electoral code in January. The spending limit for executive candidates was also raised from $300 to $400 to allow them to purchase the clothing, MacDonald said.
Candidates are allowed to campaign and distribute material in the Atrium and in some areas of the tunnels. There are also designated postering areas around campus for candidates to put up their campaign materials. They are not allowed to campaign in any CUSA businesses, service centres, or off-campus. They are also not allowed to campaign on-campus on the weekend, but are instead allowed to do so only online.
– Photo by Shanice Pereira
