The Missouri Students Association approved the Board of Elections Commissioners handbook for the 2011 election season Wednesday.

Earlier this week, the BEC proposed legislation that would limit its own power while also imposing new limitations on MSA presidential candidates campaigns.

“As it stood, the BEC could add rules as they wanted,” MSA Senate Speaker Jake Sloan said. “Now there’s more oversight into the BEC adding rules.”

MSA has updated the BEC handbook to specify types of infractions within campaigns, as well as expand rules regarding campaigning on campus. Five minor infractions will result in a candidate being expelled from the election, while two major infractions will have the same affect.

According to the legislation passed earlier this week, if the chief justice, senate speaker and MSA president all agree on an amendment made by the BEC, the amendment can be approved at any point in the year. Within two weeks, Senate must also approve that new amendment.

“It is the responsibility of the candidates and their campaign workers to read and understand the election laws put forth by the BEC,” the handbook states. “Ignorance of these laws cannot be used as a defense.”

In last year’s election, the MSA presidential slate of Josh Travis and Michelle Horan was cited for three infractions by the BEC. After a one-week election delay, the MSA student court ruled that Travis would be allowed on the ballot as a presidential candidate. Of the three infractions he was accused of, Travis was only found guilty of one. The Travis/Horan slate finished second in the general election with 36 percent of the student vote.

“As I spend more time at the position I can see the handbook in a different light,” BEC Chairman Thomas Bourneuf said. “It was important for this discussion to be made.”

According to the legislation candidates cannot campaign within residence halls other than during the planned Residence Halls Association MSA presidential debate later this semester.

Mass emails, defined as being a similar message to over 250 people, were banned in the bill to restrict candidates from spamming students on their MU email accounts. Class listservs are also explicitly banned in the bill. 

“It’s so students don’t get bothered where they live,” Bourneuf said.

Campaign slates are still allowed to make guest appearances on KCOU and MUTV. However, the stations themselves cannot publicly endorse a candidate, Bourneuf said.

“They (the candidates) are more than welcome to go to those organizations to be interviewed but they all must have an equal opportunity to do so,” Bourneuf said. “Essentially one slate cannot be given priority.”

Earlier this week, the bill was approved at MSA’s third full senate meeting of the semester by a vote of 22-9. In the meeting, 11 senators abstained from voting. As Senate Speaker, Sloan has the right to vote in decisions he deems necessary. The BEC handbook approval vote was the first time he exercised that right this semester.

“It’s to ensure that if a problem arises during the campaign, the BEC can meet the problem,” Bourneuf said. “I think we always have to plan for the worst and hope for the best.”