Committee Presents Annual State-of-the-Election Report

Two sets of opposing candidates entered into private agreements that they would not send campaign letters. The Elections Committee supports such arrangements if they do not compromise the election process or run counter to the guidelines, and if candidates who plan to enter into such agreements consult the committee first.

Only minor violations of campaign guidelines occurred this year. There were three instances in which candidates/supporters sent campaign e-mails that did not include “APA Campaigning” in the subject line. The committee notified the senders that failure to include those words was a violation of the guidelines and requested that the words be included in any future e-mails.

The importance of including “APA Campaigning” in the subject line was illustrated by complaints that the committee received from two members concerning campaign e-mails. The members were notified that the election guidelines permitted the sending of unlimited e-mails for campaign purposes, but the e-mails must include the words “APA Campaigning” in the subject line. Thus, the e-mails are easily identifiable so that members who do not wish to read them can skip over or delete them or set up filters to block them.