Concerns over discrepancies in USG election petitions should be laid to rest, a USG election commissioner says.

Some students voiced concerns over speculations that petitions that do not have the date of birth and the middle initial on them will be declared invalid.

USG election commissioner Mindy Scott assures this is not the case.

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I’m not going to say that a petition is not valid if does not have a middle initial or birth date on it, Scott said. The names on the petitions are only in question if challenged.

The middle initial and birth date are for verification purposes only, Scott said, and will not affect the validity of the petitions.

The concern over the birth dates stems from a resolution approved at the last USG meeting, which changed an amendment in the USG constitution. The amendment previously required a student’s identification number to accompany their signature.

The new amendment changed that policy to require the student’s date of birth instead of the identification number.

Scott said the omission of the birth date on the petitions was a result of time constraints. She said she was aware of the resolution, but said the petitions had already been printed up at the time of the change.

Those signing petitions must print their name and address next to their signature. No other information will be required on petitions this year.

Rather than starting the petitioning process over, she said she would rather continue and keep the election on schedule.

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There were a lot of problems with last year’s elections, Scott said. I would like to keep things on schedule and avoid those problems.

USG election rules require presidential and vice-presidential candidates to amass 300 signatures collectively. Senate candidates must gather 50 signatures of students in the constituency they hope to represent.

Scott recommends that students gather more than the required number in the event some signatures are not valid.

A wrong name or address can cause a signature to be declared invalid.

If no one challenges a name, the names won’t be checked, Scott said. And a person can’t challenge an entire petition. A person can only challenge individual names on a petition and must have a valid reason to challenge the name.

Scott said she sees no reason why the election process should be started over and would like to proceed as planned.

I would like to have a smooth election this year.

Factoid:The petitions must be turned in to the USG office on the third floor of the Student Center by 4:30 p.m. Friday. Campaigning for USG elections begins April 2 at midnight, and the election is April 9.