Campaign Guidelines for Conduct of the Election of One Full-time Student Member to the Council

1. In terms of their conduct, all electors, Candidates and all persons who execute the various procedures in the election must adhere to the Regulations Governing the Election of One Full-time Student Member to the Council (the “Election Regulations”) and all guidelines, as published from time to time.
2. In addition to the campaign events under the auspices of the Election Officer as laid out in the Election Regulations, Candidates may also carry out traditional activities, such as the handing out of leaflets and the posting of announcements in hardcopy and/or online.
3.

Leaflets/Posters may be placed on any designated "Public Notice Board"; however, they must not be placed on the "Big Character Poster" Wall, the Students Union notice boards or the notice boards of Student Societies. Candidates should also refrain from sticking posters on students' lockers or room doors and are asked to use common sense and be considerate of other Candidates and other students.
4.

During the polling period, in circumstances when there is a physical Polling Station (as contrasted with online polling only), there will be a designated “no-canvassing zone” in the immediate vicinity of that Polling Station and the Candidates (and/or their supporters) cannot campaign in the specified area.
5.

Section 9 (Campaigning Activities and Guidelines) of the Election Regulations states that, “Subject to any conditions set by the Election Officer in consultation with the Council, campaigning activities may be conducted directly or indirectly by a Candidate, provided that such activities are in line with conventional election practices that are appropriate to an institution of higher education and do not contravene the spirit of fair play, as defined in the published Campaign Guidelines.”
  5.1 “Fair play”
   

Examples of contraventions of the spirit of fair play (which may be considered a breach of Section 9 of the Election Regulations) includes, but is not limited to:
    a.

publishing false, misleading or defamatory comments or materials about any Candidate in any form, whether hardcopy or online, which includes all social media channels @;
    b.

deceiving electors, Candidates or other persons who execute any part of the procedures in the election;

    c.

physical violence;

    d.

harassment or bullying;
    e.

offering or giving any inducement, whether financial or otherwise, to an elector to vote in any particular way or to refrain from voting;

    f.

exerting undue influence on electors to vote for a particular Candidate;

    g.

seeking or threatening to do any of the acts described in (a) to (f) to influence the electors or the outcome of the election;

    h.

placing leaflets and posters on the Big Character Poster Wall, Students' Union notice boards or the notice boards of Student Societies; and

    i.

sticking posters on students' lockers.
  5.2 Conventional election practices in higher education institutions
  5.2.1  University clubs, societies and student bodies# may endorse a Candidate but only if they vote to do so in accordance with their established decision-making processes (“an official decision”) and evidence of this must be submitted to the Election Officer.
  5.2.2 Unless there is an official decision to endorse a particular Candidate (as outlined in paragraph 5.2.1 of these guidelines), broadcasting and publishing of any campaigning materials by clubs, societies and student bodies should ensure that each of the Candidates contesting in the election will be treated equally, and that no favourable or unfavourable treatment should be given to any of the Candidates. All campaign materials should adhere to the spirit of fair play and conduct outlined in paragraph 5.1 is strictly prohibited.
  5.2.3 Based on experience from the previous polling, all members of the University are advised to ignore any broadcasting and publishing of campaigning materials by clubs, societies and student bodies that are not issued pursuant to an official decision. If clubs, societies and student bodies want to endorse a particular Candidate, they are advised to expressly state in their campaigning materials that their endorsement is made in accordance with their established decision-making processes. Members of the University are advised to ignore any campaigning materials which fail to publish such a statement.
  5.2.4 All members of the University are also reminded that the University will not tolerate any form of intimidation, harassment, bullying or any other inappropriate attempt to influence anyone, and any person alleged to have undertaken such activities will be subject to investigation through the University's disciplinary procedures.
6.

The Election Officer will advise all Candidates of these Campaign Guidelines prior to the holding of the campaign forums. Candidates will be advised to ensure that any student group(s) which might endorse or support their candidature are made aware of the above election practices in order not to potentially prejudice their campaign.

7.

Any complaints of alleged breaches of the Election Regulations will be investigated under Regulation 12 of the Election Regulations.

       
       
@ Duress against electors and publication of a materially false or misleading statement(s) of fact about a Candidate to promote or prejudice an election are specifically prohibited by the Elections (Corrupt and Illegal Conduct) Ordinance: Cap.554 https://www.elegislation.gov.hk/hk/cap554
# Examples of student groups would be the HKUSTSU; a student club, society or association affiliated to the HKUSTSU; a student club, society or association that was independent of the HKUSTSU.

 

Financial Assistance

Students campaigning for election as a Student Member of the University Council are running as individuals, not as representatives of any particular student organization or organizations. That being the case, it is recognized that running for this office may impose a financial burden. To ensure that the costs of a campaign do not prevent qualified students from undertaking a campaign, the University will reimburse each official candidate for their expenses, up to a maximum of $2,000. Candidates seeking reimbursement must submit an itemized list of expenses, along with the associated receipts, to the Academic Registrar within one week of the formal announcement of the winning candidate.