(Adopted 4/7/97)
(Last Revised April 2005, November 2006, April 2007)

I. Election Procedure

A. An election committee should be established consisting of six (6) members including one (1) non-voting committee chair from the WSBA Executive Council who will report to the WSBA President, two (2) other members from the WSBA Executive Council, and three (3) other students nominated by the election committee chair and voted on by the WSBA Executive Council. This committee will be responsible for overseeing the election process and certifying the election results. A candidate running in the said election may not participate in the election committee.

B. Voting will be held in the student lounge area beginning no later than 8:00 A.M. and ending no earlier than 3:00 P.M. Elections will be a two consecutive day process.

C. Write-in candidates will be allowed in all general elections. Run-off elections will be limited to only those candidates tied from the general election. Qualification requirements of candidates apply to write-in candidates also.

D. In the event of a tie between candidates receiving the highest number of votes, a run-off election may be held. The ballot will include only those candidates tied from the previous vote. Write-in candidates will not be allowed. The run-off election will be held within one (1) week of the general election, and the schedule will be determined by the election committee. However, with the consent of the tied candidates, and at the discretion of the Election Committee Chair, the candidates may choose to forego a runoff election and proceed with the optional tie breaker. If the optional tie breaker is selected the tied candidates shall within one (1) week of the general election write their name on a blank slip of paper and place it in a container. In the presence of the WSBA executive council and the tied candidates, the Election Committee Chair shall pull out one of the slips and allocate one extra vote to that candidate, making them the winner by a single vote.

E. Election results must be posted by the election committee no later than 8:00 P.M. the day of the election, unless a candidate has been accused of a rule violation, in which case results of that particular race need not be posted. In case of an emergency, as deemed by the election committee, forcing a delay in the posting, results shall be posted by 8:00 P.M. on the following school day.

F. This process must begin no later than 4:00 P.M. on the day of the election and must be open to all students, including candidates. In case of an emergency, as deemed by the election committee, forcing a delay in the posting, this process will begin no later than 4:00 P.M. the following school day.

G. The chair of the election committee is empowered to take any action necessary to ensure fair and impartial election, subject to review by the executive committee.

H. A vacancy in office, except that of the President, due to resignation, forfeiture or other such causes may be filled by any of the following methods as voted on by the executive council. The President shall publish and post notice about the vacancy to the general student body stating which method was selected.

1. Appointment by the WSBA President, subject to plurality vote of the executive council;
2. A vote within the council, requiring a plurality of votes; or
3. A special election subscribing to all appropriate election rules, open only to the eligible voters for the vacant position.

II. Candidacy and Campaign

A. To be eligible to be considered a candidate for any representative-at-large, class section position or executive office, excluding the KBA or ABA representative positions, an individual must be a member of the designated group he or she wishes to represent. Any deviation from this requirement will automatically result in removal of invalid candidates from the ballot or forfeiture of improperly held office. To be eligible to take office for the KBA or ABA representative positions, any individual must be a member of the respective KBA or ABA, within seven (7) days of the certification of the election. It is up to the elected member to confirm with the election committee chair that they have completed the process of enrollment through proof of membership. Any deviation from this requirement will result in removal of invalid representative from the improperly held office.

B. To be placed on the ballot, candidates must satisfy candidacy requirements and meet filing deadlines as announced. The election committee must give written notice to potential candidates of their candidacy, and this notice must be signed and returned to the election committee before a candidate is placed on the ballot.

C. Posters and related campaign items may be placed only on the open fabric bulletin boards and columns of the first floor pit area. Campaign items may also be placed in the student folders. A maximum of $50 total can be spent for section candidates, and $75 on all other candidate’s campaign.

D. On the day of the election, students may not campaign for themselves or others within a twenty-five foot radius of the ballot box. However, nothing in this bylaw shall be construed to prohibit students (other than those working on the election) from wearing buttons or badges for themselves or others at any time, including when voting. The election committee is responsible for removing any such materials in violation of this bylaw.

E. Violation of these bylaws may result in removal of the candidate’s name from the consideration or invalidation of his or her election. Either consequence must be approved by a two-thirds vote of the executive council.

F. In the event of a protest by a candidate, the appeal of election results must be brought within three school days of the posting of election results. In the case, any student has reason to believe that a violation occurred with a candidate or wishes to appeal the election process, they may file a report within three (3) days of the election to the Election Committee. Once a report has been filed, the Election Committee has one (1) week to review and determine the merit of the claim. The election committee should then present their findings and remedy to the WSBA executive council. The WSBA Council has (1) week to remedy the matter.

G. WSBA will sponsor two candidate “Meet and Greet” lunches to be held prior to the election. The lunches will be held during the free hour in Room 102, 114, 120 or in the Pit or Libation Station area. WSBA will provide food at these lunches. These lunches are designed for the students to come and talk to the candidates. The candidates will have the option of speaking for one minute, in front of the assembled body, as a means of introduction. These lunches are set up to educate and inform the WSBA general body on candidate’s views. The “Meet and Greet” lunches shall be used for candidates and students to talk independently. All candidates for all positions are welcome to attend. Attendance is not mandatory for any candidate.

H. Candidates will not be able to give speeches to their class sections.

III. Election Day

A. If any election being held will not be started and completed during the same day, the ballot boxes will remain in the office of the Dean of the Law School or the office of the Dean of Student Affairs overnight.

B. No one working the ballot box will be allowed to wear any type of campaign material for any candidate in the current election.

C. No persons running as a candidate in the current election will be allowed to work the campaign box or hang out around the ballot box except when voting.

D. Ballots for the elections will be two-sided. On one side will be the candidates that all students from the school will vote on. On the other side will be the specific section candidates. Ballots will be highlighted, on the second side, with the section that the student voter will vote in, and if the ballot is not highlighted, the ballot will be thrown out.

IV. Elections of the Executive Board
(Revised March 2004, April 2004, April 2007, January 2011)

1. Elections for the office of President, Vice-President, three (3) Representatives-at- Large, all Class Section representatives (including J-Section), Assistant Treasurer as a non-voting assistant, KBA junior representative as a non-voting assistant, shall be held in the Spring semester. Elections for the offices of the Secretary, Treasurer, three (3) Representatives-at-Large, all Class Section representatives, the ABA/LSD junior representative as a non-voting assistant shall be held in the fall semester. There shall be a total of six (6) Representatives-at-Large with alternative groups of the three elected in each Fall and Spring semester. There shall also be a total of one (1) Representative-at-Large representing the total aggregate body of J-Section students of the student body, to be elected in the Spring semester of each year. The ABA/LSD junior representative is elected in the Fall and will serve as a nonvoting assistant for one semester before taking over the respective position for one full year. The Assistant Treasurer and the KBA junior representatives as nonvoting assistants are both elected in the Spring and will serve one semester before taking over the respective position for one full year.
2. Elections shall be held within four (4) weeks of the first day of regular classes in the Spring and Fall semesters. General Election campaign will last for three consecutive week days. Class section representatives shall be elected by the members of their respective class section voting in the election. All other officers shall be elected by the WSBA membership voting in the election.
3. The Executive Council shall publish and post on the WSBA bulletin board election and campaign rules and procedures fourteen (14) calendar days before an election, except as noted herein. Filing provisions shall be contained in the announcement. The filing deadline shall be seven (7) days prior to the election and campaigning shall not begin until one (1) calendar day thereafter. Campaigning shall cease at the end of the election with the removal of all campaign materials from visibility. The Executive Council may disqualify any candidate who violates the campaign rules and procedures. Write-in candidates shall be permitted.
4. Any member of the WSBA may be a candidate for any office on the Executive Council, except that no elected officer shall hold concurrent offices. No member of WSBA may run for more than one office in any given election. No member of the WSBA shall be a candidate for an office the term of which would expire after his or her graduation, except members of the Three-law (3L) class. Three-law (3L) students may run for Three-law (3L) Class Section Representative; Three-law (3L) students due to graduate in May are eligible to run for a Fall Representative-at-Large position.
5. A candidate is elected to office if she/he receives a plurality of votes, except candidates for the Representative-at-Large which are elected by being among the top three (3) candidates of all the candidates for the office receiving votes. In the event of a tie vote for any office refer to Bylaw 104(I)(D). The numerical breakdown of vote totals for each candidate and each office shall be posted, in a conspicuous place, within twenty-four (24) hours of the close of the polls. The election rules and procedures shall continue in effect and campaigning shall continue until the close of the election.
6. All elections shall be certified by six (6) members of the WSBA appointed by the Executive Council. A candidate for office shall not serve as one of the aforesaid six (6) members certifying the election. There shall not be more than three (3) members from the Executive Council in the election certification group.