On the first day of the Undergraduate Council presidential race, the Election Commission handed down early sanctions for illegal campaigning—with the Bonner-Long campaign bearing the brunt of the penalties.

The commission fined presidential candidate Lauren E. Bonner ’04 eight points—the equivalent of $8 in campaign funds—for hanging posters in non-designated areas.

Her running mate, Luke R. Long ’03, received a four-point fine and the other vice presidential candidate, Anne M. Fernandez ’03, lost two points.

Each point deduction means that a campaign’s $100 spending limit is reduced by $1. For every 10 penalty points, a candidate is docked an additional $10—making a 10-point violation the equivalent of a loss of $20 in spending.

The Election Commission did not report any violations for presidential candidate and current council Vice President Sujean S. Lee ’03.

Traditionally campaign violations this early on have not significantly impacted the race, according to Election Commission chair Kyle D. Hawkins ’02.

“I don’t think it’s a big deal to get some postering penalties on the first day,” Hawkins said. “It happens every year.”

Hawkins said early violations are usually due to campaign workers unfamiliar with postering rules.

Lee-Fernandez campaign members, however, said they believed the violations might cause some harm to their opposition.

“It will harm [their campaign] internally,” said Lee-Fernandez supporter and current council secretary James R. Griffin ’02.

Griffin said that dipping into campaigns early on to pay fines could have consequences as the race reaches its final stretches next week.

“It’s going to limit their options later on,” Griffin said.

Bonner said she remained optimistic about her chances, and said campaign tactics like meeting with students would be more important than spending money on posters.

“Posters and spending money help, but they can’t win you an election,” Bonner said.

Bonner accused the Lee-Fernandez campaign of reporting postering violations to the Election Commission—an accusation denied by both Lee and Fernandez.