PoIytechnic University of the PhiIippines

CoIIege of Architecture and Fine Arts

United Architects of the PhiIippines - Student AuxiIiary
Sta. Mesa, Metro Manila
S.Y. 2011 - 2012

PUP-UAPSA DOC. 100
PUP-UAPSA ELECTION CODE
Chapter 1: GeneraI Provision
1.01 This Act shall be known and cited as the 'PUP-UAPSA Student Academic
Organization Election Code"
1.02 This Code shall apply to all aspects of elections of Organization Officers,
Commissioners and Directors of the PUP-UAPSA Student Academic Organization of
College of Architecture and Fine Arts
1.03 This Code shall be effective immediately after its passage by the Assembly, and
shall supersede any and all previous election codes
1.04 Candidates for any election shall be responsible for the regulations relevant to their
elections, as defined by the election code. A copy of the Election Code and The By
Laws of the Organization and the National shall be made available to each candidate,
no later than the time of the candidate's filing to run for office, in the PUP-UAPSA
Organization. Any Student member of the Organization may receive a full copy of the
Election Code at any time
1.05. gnorance of this Code shall not be an acceptable defence in response to any
offense committed in any election under this Code, either by the candidates themselves,
their campaign managers or workers or the election regulatory bodies, as defined by
this Code
1.06. Each election under this Code shall be considered a single and separate
application of this Code.
Rulings made by the Commission on Election during any election period are relevant
only to that election and associated run-off elections.


Chapter 2: Commission on EIection
Section 1: COMELEC Mission Statement
The COMELEC purpose is to ensure fair, unbiased, and impartial elections. ts purpose
includes informing the student body about the election, promoting equal and fair
opportunities for all students, promoting election policies as needed, interpreting and
enforcing election policies, arbitrating election disputes, and fulfilling Election Board
membership duties in an unbiased and impartial manner consistent with an election
process of integrity and a standard of excellence of professional conduct.
Section 2: Membership
The COMELEC Board shall be comprised of seven (7) PUP-UAPSA student members
appointed by the PUP-UAPSA Chapter President of the current Year (hereafter referred
to as "UAPSA Advisor) and the Chapter Adviser of the current year supported by the
Dean of the College. The UAPSA Advisor and Chapter Adviser of the current year will
appoint seven (7) Board members and choose three (3) additional candidates as
alternates.
Section 3: COMELEC Chairperson and Officers
A. Within the first two weeks of convening during the fall semester, the COMELEC
Board shall elect one member to act as the Chairperson supported by the UAPSA
Advisor and Chapter Adviser. f no person has any prior experience, any Board member
may pursue the chairperson position.
B. the COMELEC Board shall elect officers for the following five positions:
1. Chairperson

The Chairperson shall help the Board maintain proper structure, delegate
responsibilities outlined in the PSGA Election Code.

2. Vice-Chairperson
The Vice-Chairperson shall be an assistant to the Chairperson and serve as
Chairperson in the absence thereof. The Vice-Chairperson shall serve as recording
secretary, draft a written record of board proceedings, and maintain an archive of board
meetings, election documents, and election results.

3. Treasurer

The Treasurer shall manage the Election Board's budget. The treasurer shall comply
with budgetary levels and shall make recommendations to the board on spending and
keep them updated on the budget levels.


. Election Investigators
The Election nvestigators shall be comprised of three (3) members of the board. They
shall monitor election infractions, sanctions, and remedies. The Election nvestigator
shall recommend possible sanctions to the board, recommend actions to board from
sanction and remedy appeals, and investigate alleged infractions or violations of
UAPSA CHAPTER AND NATONAL policies.

C. The COMELEC may delegate duties to non-COMELEC members, such as election
workers to assist and UAPSA MEMBERS to meet special needs.

Section 4: COMELEC ResponsibiIities
The COMELEC'S responsibilities concerning each aspect of the election are outlined in
the corresponding sections of this Election Code.

Section 5: Term of Office for COMELEC
The term of office shall be for one year. The term may be renewable beginning from
appointment in November of each year until the annual appointments are made the
following year.

Section 6: NeutraIity
The COMELEC may not endorse, recommend, or demonstrate preference for one
candidate above another.

Section 7: Resignation from COMELEC
Notice of resignation shall be submitted in writing to the current PUP-UAPSA
PRESDENT, Chapter Adviser and the Chair of COMELEC. A replacement nomination
shall be selected by UAPSA ADVSOR from the COMELEC candidate alternate list.
Section 8: RemovaI from COMELEC
A. f any individual, including members of the COMELEC believes that any member or
members of the Board have not fulfilled their duties as a board member, they may seek
removal of said member(s) by submitting their allegations in writing to the Chairperson
of the Election Board, UAPSA CHAPTER PRESDENT, and UAPSA CHAPTER
ADVSER of the current year.


B. Upon receiving the allegations, the panel Court shall oversee proceedings where
each party shall be able to present their case.
C. Upon conclusion of the proceedings. The Panel Court will vote; to remove the
accused from the Board. The outcome shall be submitted to the Chapter President and
the Chapter Adviser of the current year.
D. Upon removal of a board member or board members, the Chapter President and
Chapter Adviser of the current year shall appoint a replacement nomination from the
COMELEC alternate list.

Section 9: Funding Requests
f additional funding is needed, the COMELEC can ask financial assistance to the
organization with corresponding financial agreement with corresponding objectives of
the assistance. Any form of financial assistance from the PUP-UAPSA organization
should have a corresponding DT Receipt or any form of receipt with corresponding
date of transaction and amount signed by the leaser or sales representative.

Section 10: Liaison to the Student Activities Board
The Election Board shall designate an Election Board member to act as a liaison to
coordinate election events with the Student Activities Board.

Chapter 2: Candidates
Section 1: ConstitutionaI Requirements of Office
Candidates or Party list must have the following qualifications prior to election to their
respective positions;
3.1.1 Membership in good standing of the Chapter;
3.1.2 Active participation in the affairs of the Chapter for at least two (1) year. This
requirement does not apply for Chapters in the first two (1) years of formation.
3.1.3 Demonstrated leadership in academic and civic undertakings;
3.1.4 Good moral character
3.1.5 Endorsement by Chapter Officers.
Section 2: Term in Office
Any elected officers and members of the Chapter Board shall serve for one (1) year
starting on the first day of July and ending on the 30th day of June of the succeeding
year or until the successor shall have been qualified and elected. No member of the
Chapter Board shall hold office for more than three (3) consecutive terms. Chapters
must take oath only after the National Board nduction.
Section 3: Petition
Petitions shall be completed by all candidates with corresponding party seeking an
elected office. Petitions signed under one office cannot be carried over to another
office.

a. For example, a petition completed for the office of President of PUP-UAPSA cannot
be counted towards signatures/petition for the position of chapter secretary .
b. There must be a second petition issued and filled out completely in order to be placed
on the ballot for a different office as previously specified on the original petition.
c. A candidate must be placed on the ballot for no more than one elected office.

Once petitions are turned into both (1) Chair of the COMELEC through the PUP-UAPSA
representatives and (2) COMELEC STAFF, the petition shall be certified and
candidate(s) shall immediately be placed on the ballot.

Section 4: Announcement of Candidacy

1. ndividuals may announce their candidacy for office as early as the (1st) week of
month of February on second semester of the school year.

a. ndividuals may announce their candidacy non-verbally through a written statement
on the Monday of the (1st) week month of February on second semester of the school
year, through verbal means during the UAPSA meeting, or as approved by the Chair of
the COMELEC.

2. Once a candidate has announced his/her intention to run for an elected office he/she
may begin petitioning for that office.

3. Once petitions have been turned into the appropriate persons the candidate(s) may
begin campaigning for the office sought.

4. Any and all candidates who have publicly announced their candidacy and are running
as write in candidates (as deemed by the elections committee) are under the complete
authority of the COMELEC and are to abide by these Election Codes to the same
amount of obedience as candidates who are running on the ballot.



Chapter 3: EIection TimeIine
Section A: TimeIine for EIections
1. ndividuals seeking office may announce their candidacy as early as the (1st) week of
month of February on second semester of the school year.

2. Petitions shall be turned into (1) Chair of the COMELEC through the PUP-UAPSA
representatives and (2) COMELEC STAFF by the end of the (2nd) week of month of
February on second semester of the school year.

3. Once nominating petitions are certified by the Chair of the COMELEC candidates
may begin campaigning.

a. Campaigning shall begin at the certification of nominating petitions and continue until
the end of the election process and announcement of new officers/positions for the
academic year of 2011-2012.

4. The President and Vice Presidential Debates and corresponding party list shall be
held on the first day of the (3
rd
) week of month of February on second semester of the
school year, at either the UAPSA meeting or as an event hosted on campus.

5. Election Day(s) shall begin the (4th) week of month of February on second semester
of the school year at 8:00am on Monday of that week and continue uninterrupted
through Friday, the last day of the week.

6. The COMELEC shall meet on Saturday of the (4th) week of month of February on
second semester of the school year to tally and disclose the results of the election.

7. All results of the election shall be released at early morning on first Monday of March
of the school year to al PUP-UAPSA Members and body.

8. Results of the election will be ceremonially announced to the PUP-UAPSA General
Assembly on Saturday on the first week month of March of the school year.

9. Only candidates with credibility may contest the election results, and have one week
beginning on the first day of second week of march to the last day of the week to have
the election contestation, be resolved.

a. A candidate with credibility is defined as an individual who has successfully
completed a petition for candidacy and is in acceptable standing with the elections
committee.

10. Under extraordinary circumstances the COMELEC Committee may extend the
elections timetable with approval from the General Assembly.

Chapter 4: Campaigning
Section A: TarpauIins, Campaign Boards or Chart

1. Tarps, Campaign Boards or Charts may be used when properly approved by the
Chair of the COMELEC, Chairperson of the College and Dean of the College

2. All Tarpaulins, Campaign Boards or Charts must be approved by the Chair of the
Elections Committee before their use in any campaigning.

3. Tarps, Campaign Boards or Charts may be placed At any Bulletin Boards on
college ground of CAFA that is not in direct violation of these elections codes or
maintenance installations with respect to the University Guidelines and Student
Handbook

4. f any yard signs are denied by the Chair of the COMELEC the candidate may appeal
to the COMELEC for a ruling, which shall be decided with in (2) days of the initial appeal
which should be given by either verbal means or written form, to the Chair of the
COMELEC.

a. The appeal may be given by either verbal means or written form, to the Chair of the
COMELEC

b. Once this appeal is made the COMELEC shall meet within (2) days to make a ruling
on the campaign material in question.

c. f the COMELEC has not met or voted on the denied campaign material in (2) days
the campaign material under question shall pass due to being tabled for (2) days



Section B: FIyers/Handouts

1. All flyers and handouts must be approved by the COMELEC before there use in any
campaigning.

2. All flyers and handouts must also be approved by the office of the chairperson of the
college and Dean of the college if they are to be hung up around the campus, placed in
the college halls, or to be distributed among the campus i.e. Library, or Student Center
Lobby etc.

3. All flyers and handouts must be have a seal/stamp of Dean of the College,
Chairperson of the College and Chair of the COMELEC with corresponding sign and
date of approval visible.

4. These flyers and handouts must not contain any language which falsely accuses
his/her opponent of liable, there opponent in any way of falsified information.

5. These flyers and handouts may contain information that is pro-candidate and con-
candidate, but must remain in appropriate language and decorum at all times pursuant
to the office sought.

Section C: Websites

1. Any websites which are developed for, constructed with, or presented to any
candidate for elected office must have content approved by the COMELEC.

2. All pictures, text, video, podcast etc. which are placed on said website must abide
by CHAPTER V, Section B, (4) of this election codes and refrain from liable of
opponent and/or falsified information.

3. f any website(s) are denied by the COMELEC the candidate may appeal to the
Elections Committee for a ruling, which shall be decided with in (2) days of the initial
appeal.

a. The appeal may be given by either verbal means or written form, to COMELEC

b. Once this appeal is made the COMELEC shall meet within (2) days to make a ruling
on the campaign material in question.

c. f the COMELEC has not met or voted on the denied campaign material in (2) days
the campaign material under question shall pass due to being tabled for (2) days.

Section G: EIection Day Procedures

1. Election Day(s) shall begin the (4
th
) week of month of February on second semester
of the school year at 8:00am on Monday of that week and continue uninterrupted
through Friday, the last day of the week.

2. Effective of that week and continue uninterrupted through Friday, the last day of the
week.
no candidate(s) shall be permitted to campaign with in a radius of (10) feet of a polling
station.

a. A polling station shall be set up in the student center Room 200 of the College

b. There shall be no campaign literature, signs, flyers, handouts, information
candidate(s) etc. inside a radius of (10) feet from the polling station.

3. Candidate(s) may be permitted to campaign throughout the entire week of elections
until the closing of polls.
















Section D: Summary of Campaigning

1. The COMELEC chooses to approve/disapprove all materials as stated in the above
article before there use in any campaigning.

2. f the COMELEC denies the use of any campaign materials the candidate(s) may
appeal to the COMELEC.

3. All appeals must be decided with in (2) days of denial by the COMELEC

a. The COMELEC may overturn the Chair with a simply majority vote.
b. f the COMELEC has not met or voted on the denied campaign material in (2) days
the campaign material under question shall pass due to being tabled for (2) days.

Chapter V: Campaign Funding
Section A: Candidate funding and GeneraI ObIigation
1. Being a non-monetary student academic organization, The PUP-UAPSA student
organization with its current elected officers, commissioners, staff and adviser have no
decent right whatsoever to release financial support or assistance to campaign a
candidate or party coming from the student organization budget and monetary income
for the next student officers of the organization. f any current officers and candidate are
caught, they will liable of usage of the Student Organization income and take on record
of the COMELEC and the College Administration.
2. Candidates or Party running for the position of the next officers of PUP-UAPSA
student organization for the coming school year are solemnly and abide to expense
their own campaign together with there campaigning materials and paraphernalia in the
election of the officers of the PUP-UAPSA student organization without any monetary
and financial support from the current student PUP-UAPSA student organization.






Chapter VI: AppeaIs

Section A: AppeaIs Process for Denied Campaign MateriaI

1. f the COMELEC has denied a campaign, campaign material. The Campaign may
seek an appeals process to the entire COMELEC

2. Once the COMELEC has denied the material in question, the Chair has (2) days to
call an Elections Committee meeting to discuss and come to a ruling on the material.

3. The COMELEC may overturn the Chair's initial decision with a simple majority vote of
the committee.

4. f the COMELEC does not meet or come to a decision in exactly (2) days after the
initial appeal, the campaign material in question automatically passes due to a pocket
approval by the lack of fairness by the COMELEC.

Chapter VII: Debates

Section A: Debating Procedures for AII Candidates

1. All debates shall be held on the specified time as listed above in Chapter 4

2. All candidates involved in debates shall:

a. Refrain from slandering, liable or falsifying information regarding his/her opponent(s).

b. Be allowed to state pro and con arguments for his/her own campaign as well their
opponent(s) campaign.

c. Follow all rules set forth by the Elections Codes, Chair of COMELEC or President of
UAPSA, Dean of the College and Chairperson of the College who are directly involved
with debating procedures.

d. Be allowed to address their opponent in open debate, while maintaining an
appropriate decorum.


Chapter VIII: PenaIties for VioIations

Section A: EIection Code VioIations

1. The COMELEC may dock votes from a candidate for each violation of the Elections
Code.

a. Each violation of Election Code procedures will result in a docking of votes for the
candidate(s) who violated the code.

b. Each violation of the Elections Code may result in docking of (3-7) votes pertaining to
the severity of the infraction.

i. The COMELEC, as a whole, will be the decider in the number of votes docked per
ticket.

ii. The Chair of the COMELEC through the advice of the Elections Committee will issue
the docking of (3-7) votes.

iii. The COMELEC may overturn the Chair with a vote of the Elections Committee.

2. n the event or circumstance that such an egregious act is committed by a candidate
for election, the elections committee has the right to suspend the election and review
the case. Upon completion of investigation information may be disclosed at the next
scheduled UAPSA meeting for a vote to be taken to decide the outcome of the election
and any action that may need to be taken.

Chapter IX: Contestation

Section A: EIection Contestation

1. Only Credible Candidate(s) may contest the results of an election.

2. Candidates may only contest the results of an election if at least one of the following
steps were met:

a. The election totals were with in 5% of both or all candidate(s)/tickets.

i. .e. Candidate A received 52% of the vote and Candidate B received 48% of the vote.

b. The Chair of the COMELEC or a simply majority of the Elections Committee deem
that one or more candidate(s)/ticket(s) violated the Elections Codes. Therefore allow the
contestation of the election.
CHAPTER X: EquaI Effect on aII Candidates

Section A: Circumstances affecting aII candidates

1. n the event that an unpredictable occurrence takes place that equally affects all
candidates and their campaigns, no additional time will be added to the elections
timetable.
a. Example: During voting week, if the online voting system is to go down, no additional
time will be added to the elections timetable because all candidates will have been
equally affected.


CHAPTER XI: Updates and Revisions to the EIection Codes

Section A: Updates and Revisions

1. The Elections Committee may update or revise the Election Codes at any time.

2. All candidates who are running for office either on the ballot or as a write in candidate
must be notified within (6) hours of revisions or updates.

CHAPTER XII: ConfidentiaIity CompIiance and Bias Protection

Section A: Expected ConfidentiaI CompIiance to the Committee

1. All members of the COMELEC are expected to keep any information discussed in
meetings confidential. f this policy is broken the following action(s) may be taken:

a. Members may be ejected from the committee upon a majority vote from the
committee.



Section B: Bias Protection

2. All members of the COMELEC are expected to keep their personal views of the
elections to themselves. Any member expressing views of the election inside or outside
of the committee will be in violation of this policy and the following action(s) may be
taken:

a. Members may be ejected from the committee upon a majority vote from the
committee.

CHAPTER XIII: Unprecedented Occurrences

Section A: Unprecedented Occurrences within the EIection

1. f Any occurrence that happens within the elections or with candidates which does not
have precedence or description on procedures or courses of action within these election
codes or in the Constitution of the UAPSA NATONAL, the COMELEC will adhere to the
regulations found in the) Election Codes. The Omnibus Election Code of Republic of the
Philippines, the UAP Election Code Doc. 103 and UAPSA Election Code can also be
referenced for precedence if procedure is not found within the FEC's Election Codes for
the situation at hand.