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There are many people and organizations from whom candidates running for the Undergraduate Students Association Council this year seek support. But as far as monetary campaign contributions are concerned, candidates are careful about accepting donations.

Whether it is for ethical or political reasons, many USAC candidates steer away from asking student groups for donations, turning rather to friends and family for support.

“All my contributors are personal friends,” said Allende Palma/Saracho, current USAC internal vice president and presidential candidate for Students First!. “I have supporters from different campus groups, but no donations from one organization.”

Some candidates have moral qualms about accepting money from groups funded by USAC.

Josh Lawson, general representative and presidential hopeful under the Equal Access Coalition, said a “cycle” starts once a slate accepts money from a USAC-funded organization.

“A student group gives money to a slate, candidates from that slate get elected to office, and they provide more funding to that student group,” Lawson said. “(Equal Access Coalition) sees this as a corruption in the system.”

Matt Kaczmarek, USAC external vice president and a member of Students First!, said many student groups are officially prohibited from contributing to campaign funds.

Since much of the money these groups receive from USAC comes from student fees, which cannot be used in campaigning, candidates cannot accept any “official” donations from USAC-funded student organizations.

“Most of the (campaign) money comes from individual candidates,” Kaczmarek said.

Candidates, including Lawson, can vouch for this, as he has been saving up with the knowledge that he would need to pay for much of his own campaign.

“There are certain things, such as slate cards and banners, that are covered by the slate,” Lawson said. “But all personal campaigns are funded by personal funds.”

Roy Samaan, the chairman of the election board, agreed that the candidates should be responsible for their own funding.

“This is a campaign that you are running for yourself, so it is expected that you put your own money in,” Samaan said. “Groups can support you by numbers and recommendation.”

Numbers and recommendations are exactly how some candidates plan to garner support from student groups, leaving money out of the picture.

“In terms of financial donations, I have not and do not plan on accepting them,” said Peter Bautista, an independent candidate running for financial supports commissioner. He added that he has received a lot of support in terms of time and labor.

Bautista aims to spend no money on his campaign, because he plans to run one not based on mass fliers and banners, but rather on “developing personal relationships with student organizations.”

Candidates running unopposed are in a unique position, where they do not need to seek out any contributions.

“I do not accept donations because if people are giving their money away, there are much worthier causes than a campaign that I have already, in essence, won,” said Jason Gaulton, the only candidate running for campus events commissioner.

“It would just be foolish for me to (accept donations) with so many others actually in need of the money,” he added.