Taco-themed nicknames will not appear on the Spring Student Government ballot, and the Taco Libre Party that slated candidates with the names will get a public warning for trying.
The SG Elections Commission ruled unanimously Tuesday night to issue a public reprimand to the party.
The ruling was based on SG code 733.1, which says all candidates must qualify with the name they’re registered with at UF or with a “reasonable variation of that name, subject to approval of the Elections Commission.”
Commissioner Matt Friedman said allowing candidates to run with nicknames unrelated to their given names could give them an unfair advantage.
“If you hear the name ... John Taco Burrito Supreme Smith, it sounds way cooler than someone else’s name,” Friedman said. “If you’re looking at candidates and you don’t really know much about the platforms, you’re probably going to pick the cooler-sounding name.”
The reprimand “will be a written declaration to the UF campus containing the violation of the party and a warning discouraging similar future violations,” Elections Commission Chairwoman Celeste Thacker wrote in an email.
She said the reprimand will not restrict the Taco Libre Party’s ability to campaign.
The party slated with names such as Shannon “Salsalicious” Hill and Paige “Pico de Gallo” Milch.
[A version of this story ran on page 1 on 2/5/2014 under the headline "Taco Libre nicknames no-go on ballot"]
