ASB campaigning rule changes

Under new activities director Sherie Rotondi, ASB is changing their rules regarding student body elections and campaigning. This year served as the trial year for new changes ASB hopes to implement. “This year would be an observation year. I wanted to get to know the student body and the school, so I’m working off of what they’ve done in the past, and through the veterans in the class. These guidelines are from the previous years. I realized there are some holes I would like to plug up,” Rotondi said.  Rotondi explained that she didn’t want to make large changes before becoming acquainted with Samo. She plans to look into campaigning on social media and improving the existing guidelines so she can provide answers to the questions of ASB candidates. For example, there were vague specifications about the number of campaign posters allowed in each classroom. Rotondi wants to streamline the campaigning process by filling in holes in the policy. The full set of changes did not go into effect this year, but one important change was enacted that affected the elections.  “One really big change I made this year was the ⅔ vote for the unopposed candidates. In the past, what I’ve been told is there’s been no requirement for kids running unopposed… That gives the student body no choice,” Rotondi said. “That is a choice that students should have.” She explained that if an unopposed candidate did not receive ⅔ votes of support for their election, another student would be appointed or two positions would be merged. The candidate who was elected for secretary might become secretary-treasurer. During this election, every unopposed candidate received the necessary votes, but that might not be the case in the future.