Editors note: The article has been updated to correct voting dates and the content of the amendment. The original article incorrectly stated voting opened on Monday, a date that Election Commissioner Santiago Fajardo provided the Daily before publication.
Students can vote in a special election to ratify a proposed constitutional amendment by Student Government. Voting will be held from 8 a.m. Tuesday until 7:59 a.m. Wednesday.
The amendment proposes four-year limits for contracts and financial agreements. The Constitution has no limits on the term length of “contracts and agreements.”
Article Two Section A Clause Four of the Student Government Constitution currently states, “The Senate shall have the power to ratify all contracts and agreements negotiated by the Government by an affirmative two thirds vote of seated Senators.”
The Senate voted in favor of the amendment in March, but it requires majority support of voters to be approved. The updated clause would read:
“The Senate shall have the power to ratify all contracts and agreements negotiated by the Government by an affirmative two thirds vote of seated Senators. No contract passed by the Senate shall exceed a term length of four academic years.”
The amendment was unable to be voted on during the 2025 general election due to an error in the bill title. According to previous reporting from the Daily, the bill mistakenly amended “Article II Section A Point 12 rather than Article II Section A Point 4.”
The Election Commission created arguments for and against the amendment, listed below:
Pro-amendment (yes)
- The maximum length of a contract or agreement entered into by Student Government will be four years.
- This will allow all students, whether involved in Student Government or not, the opportunity to review and question contracts funded with their student fee dollars at some point during their tenure at Iowa State.
- Currently existing contracts will not be affected but the term limit will apply to all new or renegotiated contracts and agreements.
Anti-amendment (no)
- There will be no limit on the term length of contracts or agreements entered into by Student Government.
- It would be possible for a student to enroll at Iowa State, attend four or more years, and graduate without ever being able to comment on a contract funded with their student fee dollars.
- Currently existing contracts will not be affected.
Election results will be available Friday.
