A bill that would reduce the number of signatures required to be on the ballot for student body president from 1,250 to 1,000 was rejected Tuesday night in the rules and judiciary committee of Student Congress.
The signature requirement was raised from 1,000 — last year’s number — to 1,250, as the result of an expansive elections law bill, passed in Student Congress on Oct. 26.
The new bill was proposed by McKinney Brown, chairman of the student affairs committee of Student Congress. It was reported unfavorably by a vote of six to three, with zero abstaining.
When a bill passes unfavorably, it is put on an unfavorable calendar, meaning two-thirds of Student Congress would have to vote to debate the bill.
Brown proposed the bill because he said he believed 1,250 was too large a number and arbitrary.
Members of the committee argued that by increasing the number of signatures, candidates would have to be more proactive about their campaigns.
The committee also voted Tuesday night to correct an error in a bill passed last week regarding voting districts. The bill passed unanimously.
The committee also discussed a bill that made changes to the definitions of the voting districts in the redistricting bill passed Nov. 9. The committee voted to table the bill. Members said it will be discussed again in January.
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