In the second Elections Commission hearing since the Gator Party won 44 out of 47 open Student Senate seats in the fall Student Government election, the Gator Party was assessed a ,75 fine for an election violation.
The commission found the Gator Party guilty in two of five complaints, each filed by the Progress Party.
One charge stated that the Gator Party's campaign T-shirt violated elections rules by not featuring the phrase "Paid Pol. Ad." The commission found the Gator Party at fault and assessed a fine of ,75.
The Gator Party was also found guilty of positioning a campaign table within 50 feet of the Matherly Hall polling location. The commission issued a warning against repeating the act in future elections.
The Gator Party was cleared in three other charges alleging its candidates campaigned too close to polling locations.
Mike Fetto, the Gator Party candidate who lost his seat to the Progress Party's sole victor, Ben Cavataro, was accused of campaigning too close to the voting booths.
Fetto was eating pizza with two campaign supporters in the Hume lobby next to the polling location, but the commission ruled that there was not enough evidence to prove he was actually campaigning.
The commission came to a similar ruling when it concluded there was not enough evidence to prove Joshua Richard, a Gator candidate who won a seat representing District C, illegally campaigned at the Hume polling location.
The commission again cited a lack of evidence in ruling that the Gator Party was not guilty of a similar offense in Turlington Hall.
