LSC UP SGA Elections

The Student Government Association (SGA) needs dedicated and motivated people who are interested in both the future of Lonestar College University Park and the students who are currently enrolled. If you are that kind of person, SGA is definitely the place for you! 

The decisions made by SGA affect every student on campus, so being part of this organization is an important job and requires quite a bit of commitment.  Serving your fellow students via Student Government is truly a great educational, social, and political experience.

Benefits of Joining SGA

There are innumerable benefits to maintaining an active involvement in your college Student Government Association’s events, endeavors, and initiatives. Chief among these are as follows:

• Those engaged in SGA’s events throughout the semester are better equipped to run for office and hold an Executive during the next academic year
• Traveling to statewide and national conferences and workshops held throughout the United States focused on leadership building, teamwork, and enhancing productivity.
• SGA Executive Council members receive stipends based on the completion of both their individual and organizational responsibilities at the end of their year in office.
• Holding an SGA leadership position exponentially boosts your chances of transferring to the University of your choice, as it is an overarching organization with a greater degree of influence than most other RSO’s.
• Serving as an elected representative for your peers engenders a profound degree of professional development within an individual. Learning how you can make a difference in your college and community will equip you with indispensable abilities and lessons for the future.

Election Timeline

Candidate Applications: Due by 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, March 28, 2023. 

Candidate Application 

Candidate Photos: Candidates must upload appropriate photo as a part of the online application.

Photo Guidelines -

• Candidates must be wearing business casual wear
• The photo should be of the candidate from the waist up. 
• A clean, white background is highly recommended. Neutral backgrounds without distractions are preferred.
• We’re not looking for professional headshots, but please make sure the headshot is clear with good lighting. No pixelated/blurry images.

Applicants will be notified if they qualify for candidacy no later than Friday, March 31, 2023

Campaigning: The campaign period will run between April 3rd-April 6th 

Election: Will take place online April 10^th-April 16th and on campus April 10^th & 11th

Candidate Eligibility

All RSO Officer teams nominate a few members of their organizations to serve as SGA Committee Members. An SGA Committee Member is placed in charge of specific duties relating to the management of SGA initiatives and endeavors All nominations will undergo an application process to be confirmed by the SGA Executive Council.

The six SGA Committees established are: Marketing, Public Relations, Events, Communication, Sponsorships, and Volunteering. For more details regarding the specific responsibilities of each SGA Committee, refer to Article VII of the Revised SGA Constitution.

The commitment is also designed to be a stepping stone for those interested in running for the Executive Board. Please contact SGA for inquiries or apply online: http://tinyurl.com/UP-SGASenate.

Election Committee

• The Election Committee is the Office of Student Life.
• The Elections Committee is responsible for communicating and interpreting all election rules.
• The Elections Committee determines if a candidate is eligible to run for office. (Enrollment, G.P.A., Academic, and Disciplinary information for each candidate is reviewed).
• The Elections Committee is responsible for determining campaign process.
• The Elections Committee determines, implements, and facilitates the voting system to carry out SGA elections.
• The Elections Committee is responsible for enforcement of the election rules and investigation of election complaints.
• The Elections Committee is responsible for posting election results and official statements relating to the elections.

Campaigning

Candidate Campaigning

• Campaigns are limited to Lonestar College University Park.
• All campaign materials must be submitted to the Office of Student Life prior to distribution. Candidates are not allowed to post on campus. Once the election committee has approved the campaign materials, they will post them in approved campus areas. (Campaign Materials may not include the Lonestar College logo.)
• Campaign materials shall contain only accurate and truthful information. Materials containing false or inflammatory content will be removed immediately by the Office of Student Life.
  • Inflammatory material includes, but is not limited to, discriminatory statements or images, offensive/profane language, negative or false statements about any faculty or staff member or other LSC student, student group, or population of people.
  • The posting of blatantly false, misleading, or inflammatory material in association with a campaign may be grounds for removal of a candidate from the ballot after a complaint has been filed with the Office of Student Life.
• Candidates are permitted to hand out approved campaign materials to students directly (money & gift cards are not allowed to be used as campaign materials).
  • Posting campaign materials on vehicles at the campus is strictly prohibited.
• Distribution of candidate materials and/or solicitation of votes by candidates or their designees is prohibited within 25 feet of any entrance to a polling place.
• Candidates may only campaign during the dates established by the elections committee.
• Defacing, removing, demolishing, or otherwise tampering with any other candidate’s elections materials is prohibited.
• All campaign material must be removed within forty-eight (48) hours after the close of the campaigning period.
• Any violation of these rules by a candidate or party connected to candidate may result in disqualification.

Office of Student Life Campaigning

• The Office of Student Life will assist candidates in campaigning by
  • Announcing candidates in scheduled email communication
  • Posting approved candidate campaign materials in designated spaces on campus
  • Announcing candidates on LSC UP Lion’s Den Social Media pages

Endorsements

• Any Lone Star College UP student organization may publicly endorse any candidate for office providing that it is not on any type of probationary or provisions status with the college and it has the prior approval of the candidate to be endorsed.

Disqualification

• Violations of election rules by any candidate or party connected to candidate may result in disqualification.
• Disqualifications are determined by the Office of Student life.
• If a candidate is disqualified during the election process, the candidate with the next highest vote will assume the officer position.

Election Day(s) Procedure

• Elections will take place over a week period.
• Elections will take place online and on campus (if permitted). Each student will only be able to vote once via our voting form.
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  • All students will receive the voting form link. They will be able to cast their vote online or at a designated polling location. Students will receive the link via email or during the designated polling days at the designated polling locations.
• Each student will only be able to vote once via our voting form.

Results

The elections committee will share the results at least five business days after the polls close. 

The candidate with the highest number of votes for each officer position shall be deemed the winner.

In the case of a tie for any position, there will be a run-off.

Complaints

• If someone believes that election rules have been violated, a written complaint with necessary evidence must be emailed to the Office of Student Life (UPStudentLife@Lonestar.Edu) before the polls close.
• Upon the filing of a written complaint, within seventy-two (72) hours of the alleged infraction, a hearing shall be called before the election committee to determine the responsibility and if penalties shall be necessary.

Questions

All candidates are expected to thoroughly review the SGA Election Rules before the campaign and elections take place. Questions regarding the rules or guidelines should be directed to the Office of Student Life using the following email address: UPStudentLife@Lonestar.Edu.