The three presidential candidates will be the only ones setting
their own campaign spending limits in this year’s USAC
elections, despite the fact that many candidates say they
won’t raise enough money to reach proposed voluntary spending
limits.
After the U.S. District Court struck down mandatory spending
limits in separate cases involving student campaigns at two
University of California campuses, the Undergraduate Students
Association Council Elections Board voted in March to remove
mandatory limits in its election code. The court rulings stated
that spending caps violated First Amendment rights.
Voluntary spending caps were discussed at a candidate
orientation meeting last week and Andrew LaFlamme, current USAC
financial supports commissioner and presidential candidate, said he
received input from members of his slate, United Independents, in
drafting a proposal for voluntary spending limits.
That proposal set spending caps at $800 for presidential
candidates and $600 for all other candidates ““ the same
dollar amounts as last year’s mandatory limits.
“It’s really an issue of access for me “¦ we
don’t ever want finances to ever be a barrier or an unfair
advantage for someone seeking office,” LaFlamme said.
Candidates said most campaign costs come from purchasing
materials used to make flyers, which candidates use to familiarize
the public with their platforms and names.
With a May 2 deadline for submitting their campaign expense
accounts to the election board, some candidates said it was
difficult to envision campaign costs exceeding the proposed limits.
Sales tax on materials is not a campaign expense under USAC
election codes.
However, only eight candidates had signed the voluntary proposal
as of Tuesday afternoon, and Elections Board Chairman Joseph
Vardner said the only office whose complete list of candidates had
signed the proposal was that of the presidency.
Matt Kaczmarek, the Students First! external vice presidential
candidate, said he was planning to sign the proposal, but nobody
informed him that the deadline to sign had passed.
“Elections should be won based on a fair level where
people who can’t afford to spend a lot of money can get their
message out,” Kaczmarek said.
The spending cap for presidential candidates will be set, but
not enforced, at $800, excluding costs of materials used for
candidate signboards displayed on Bruin Walk.
Candidates said the proposal was more symbolic than anything
else.
“It’s a sign it’ll be a friendly campaign.
People never reach $600 ““ it’s just for show,”
said Chase Rabenn, one of three U.I. general representative
candidates.
S.U.R.E. general representative candidate Joshua Lawson is
spending his own money on his campaign and said he would not agree
to spending caps even if his expenditures fall below proposed
limits.
“I’m inclined to agree with the court on this being
a free speech issue. “¦ I seriously doubt that I would even
come close to what last year’s spending caps were ““
it’s more of a principle thing,” Lawson said.
As for raising money, most candidates have taken informal
stances, paying for expenses out of their own pockets or asking
friends and relatives for contributions.
Anica McKesey, the Students First! presidential candidate, said
she raised money for both her own campaign and her slate’s.
McKesey said she received donations from people who
“understand the movement” of her slate, including
various students and alumni.
The elections board does not recognize slates, said Adam
Harmetz, the S.U.R.E. presidential candidate, so slate expenditures
are documented as campaign expenses only if candidates’ names
appear on printed materials.
Harmetz said though a large portion of the money raised for
slates comes from individual candidates. Funds are also solicited
from other sources ““ former council members, old friends and
even some small businesses. Harmetz added that most campaign costs
are individual, and not slate, expenditures.
“We’re focusing on the issues just like all the
other candidates are “¦ I have a lot of trust and faith in a
lot of the other candidates,” Harmetz said.