First-Year Election

Any first-year UT student, except those serving as a member of the Election Supervisory Board (ESB), may file a complaint during the First-Year Election. The online complaint form must be used to file a complaint against a candidate (or a candidate's campaign staff member) if you feel they have violated the Student Government Specific Election Code and/or Advisory Opinions released by ESB.

Complaints that do not fall within ESB's jurisdiction, such as potential Institutional Rules and Policy violations, may be dismissed and the submitter will be referred to the appropriate University department for assistance.

Please read the form and complete all the required sections. Complainants must provide their name and email address to allow ESB to investigate the complaint. Complainants must provide the name of the candidate and the election code(s) they believe the candidate has broken and provide a detailed description of the complaint. Once you have entered all supporting information, press "submit" at the bottom of the page. Any documented evidence (screenshots, photos, etc.) can be emailed to ESB at esb@austin.utexas.edu.

The ESB will review all complaints filed to determine if it will be dismissed or if a hearing will take place. If a complaint is not dismissed, a hearing must be held, and ESB will notify all parties of the date, time, and location via email. ESB will provide guidance regarding hearing procedures.

All parties involved (including the complaining party) should present themselves at the hearing. The complaining party bears the burden of proof. If the complaining party (or an authorized delegate) does not attend the hearing, the complaint may be dismissed. All decisions will be made public and listed.

Any party adversely affected by a decision of the Election Supervisory Board may file an appeal with the Student Government Supreme Court. Before the polls close, appeals must be filed within twenty-four (24) hours after the adverse decision is announced. After the polls close, an appeal must be filed within twelve (12) hours after the adverse decision is announced. The decision of the Election Supervisory Board shall stand and have full effect until the appeal is heard and decided by the Student Government Supreme Court.

Please see the First-Year Election timeline for additional dates and deadlines related to the election.

The deadline to file a complaint in the 2026 First-Year Election is Thursday, September 24th at 11:59 pm.

To view a list of complaints, visit the View Complaints page at: https://deanofstudents.utexas.edu/studentelections/firstyearelection/view-complaints.php

Financial Disclosure #1 is due Wednesday, September 16 at 4:30 p.m. Financial Disclosure #2 is due Wednesday, September 23 at 4:30 p.m.