The Elections Commission held hearings Thursday regarding complaints against Student Body President Bobby Mills and Student Senate President pro tempore Mike Alston.

According to Chair Andrew Tucker, the commission gave Mills, a junior in political science, two warnings and a $20 fine, and Alston a warning notification.

Mills’ first warning was issued because the commission decided the two had the intent to run, and therefore it was against elections rules to hand out campaign outside of Fountain Dining Hall Monday.

“Mr. Mills affirmed he was only assessing support,” Tucker said.

According to Tucker, Mills said he had not declared his candidacy, so his activities could not be considered campaigning, but “as a whole, the commission did not buy it.”

He was issued the fine for the campaigning Monday as well, as Student Body Statues say the commission may impose penalties on candidates before declaring candidacy.

They made the judgments based on the candidates’ intents, and Tucker said Alston received less punishment because of his handling of the hearings.

“[Alston] said he realized after the fact that he was in violation [and apologized],” Tucker said. Alston received a warning notification, which is less severe than the warnings received by Mills, which can result in a disqualification hearing after someone gets three.

“I think [Alston] genuinely misinterpreted the rules,” Tucker said.

Alston said this was true.

“I didn’t mean to break the rules,” he said. “If I had known I was breaking the rules, I wouldn’t have done it.”

And according to Tucker, some student senators, including Peter Barnes and Student Senate President Greg Doucette, showed support for Alston and his intentions.

“Mike is a guy of integrity,” Doucette said.

The Commission gave Mills another warning for campaign handbills distributed in classrooms Monday. The commission decided that in accordance with statutes, handbills cannot be stacked neither vertically nor horizontally, so they were in violation.

“The biggest reason we issued a warning was because it was so drastic,” Tucker said.

Mills said he had good intentions and understands the ruling.

“I told him if I broke the rules, I’m sorry,” Mills said. “I did not intentionally break the rules. Even if it’s not intentional, you should still be held accountable.”

Alston said the punishments will probably prevent future violations during elections.

“If I could go back, I wouldn’t have done it again,” he said.