Political Pressure/Fraternal or Sororal Pressure
 

Say someone from your chapter is running for public office but you support another candidate. Is it unbrotherly/unsisterly to actively campaign for the other candidate?

On the flip side....is it inappropriate for the candidate to use the chapter mailing list (snail mail and email) to solicit support and donations?

No. While it's not altogether likely, more than one candidate could be in the same chapter. It has to be business, not personal.

I would say that there should be a policy in place about what type of solicitation the mailing list can be used for. But, I think it's a good resource for candidates as well as a great way to tap into the benefits of the fraternity/sorority.

I would say yes it is. While it may seem like a good idea to use your fraternity/sorority network and connection, if every person used the chapter's connection for something (publishing a book- swear I'm not picking on you Rashid, philanthropy 10K, etc.) people might feel overwhelmed and pressured. I remember a lady on GC who posted that a woman in her alumnae chapter would use her chapter connections to gather support and donations for her daughter's pageant competitions, and that women in the alumnae chapter became uncomfortable with it and felt like she was using the sorority.

Funny you mention that because I know someone who actually did that. I call that lazy campaigning. It is very inappropriate to use e-mail to solicity support for your campaign.

On just a campus level we had two sisters as members of different "parties" running for Student Government. (Most people voted straight tickets) The email went wild for a while as both said "trust your sisters and vote for us"

I think that using the email is a bit innappropriate. Make an announcement at a meeting (if there's an appropriate venue) and leave it at that. Everyone will know about it.

It's ok not to vote for a sister/brother, IMO. Your vote should be private no matter what it's for. If you feel that your sister/brother, though a wonderful member of your sorority/fraternity, is NOT the best candidate for the job, then so be it.

/all instances of sister or brother can be replaced with soror and frat as necessary

First of all, we are not a policital organization so any campaigning for your soror/frat or others should NOT be done in the context of the org (ie wearing 'nalia, speeches or other solicitation at chapter functions, etc.). To do so could jeopardize our tax exempt status (look at what happened with NAACP). As private citizens, we can support whoever we want to, however we want to, period.

Secondly, some orgs and/or chapters have policies in place that prohibit solicitation of any kind by members or outsiders using the membership roster/directory/etc. IMHO, this is a good policy because eeerrrybody gotta get their hustle on and EYE don't want to be bombarded with junk. It can be intimidating and unsisterly.

No, not really because in the end, no one knows who you actually voted for unless you tell them. If approached by your sister / brother and you don't agree with their politics then I think a polite 'I'll consider your platform' answer will do. You've not committed yourself to their platform, and you have not offended them either. It's a safe out.

We had to deal with this in my chapter. First, anything that is going to go out to the chapter via e-mail / snail mail must first go through the president. She will send stuff out all at once, so that 50 sorors are not trying to send the same message at the same time.

We have also alotted timed during our chapter meetings to announce stuff like this. If you want to give a little campaign speech, then you do it at that time, with the understanding that not everyone will agree / support you, necessarily.

I appreciate the responses so far.

I don't think so. Not every person who runs for the office is truly the best candidate including some of brothers or sisters. Had that happen this past fall, Soror campaigned and wanted our help with the campaign. I declined.

I think it is. If I am going to support you, I will do so without you contacting me via the chapter list.

Really? Wow,I get campaign emails all of the time during election season. I see it as just one more tool to use. Now lazy would be using email only for campaigning and not also doing the door to door and public appearances. But I have yet to see this happen.

To Senusret question. My chapter prohibits the use of our directory or email group for any purpose not Delta related. And Delta cannot endorse specific candidates, nor can any 501(c)(7). So your chapter bro and your chapter may want to be careful of how the use of the list may be construed.

This is a hypothetical situation. :)

Personally speaking I would have to say yes. I would question why that person is not supporting their Soror or Frat. Unless one's own political views are different from theirs. I wouldn't actively campaign for them. Also, one should not capitalize on the membership database of your GLO to solicit support for any candidate for political office-that goes without saying for those who also wish to solicit for business purposes also.