Editorial: Limiting who campaigns impinges on free speech

After only a couple weeks in office, Elections Board Chairman
Nathan Lam has proposed prohibiting nonstudents from campaigning on
campus during the spring elections.

Such a change has serious political implications, further
weakening the chance for independent candidates to gain ground and
aiding incumbents.

The Undergraduate Students Association Council should act in
good faith and not approve the change Tuesday ““ nor should it
approve any other restrictions on nonstudent campaigners.

Supporters should be allowed to campaign whether they are
students or not. Limiting who can speak in favor of a candidate is
an insult to free speech ““ especially at a public school. If
individuals can stand on the corner of Gayley Avenue, go
door-to-door in the apartments, or harass pedestrians in Westwood,
why silence them on campus? Additionally, the policy would be
nearly impossible to enforce. While a candidate’s dad might
stand out, their best friend from another university might not.

The elections code exists to make these yearly elections as fair
and un-circus-like as possible ““ but rarely succeeds.
Ideally, USAC elections would be a civil expression of democracy
““ but they rarely are. Further restrictions won’t solve
the problem.