With so much at stake in the current athletics fee referendum, it’s no surprise that some below-the-belt punches have been thrown. It’s perhaps more of a surprise that a typically feeble student government showed enough character to stand up for what should be inherent decency.

In a late-night grievance hearing, the A.S. special elections committee found that the pro-referendum contingency violated election bylaws that require all campaigners to stay 50 feet away from official polling places. The violators were asked to leave the premises by the election’s commissioner, but did not do so until instructed by an athletics department administrator.

In response, the A.S. special elections committee voted to restrict all students officially affiliated with the “”pro”” side of the election to “”neutral campaigning,”” forbidding advocacy for any particular side of the referendum, as well as placing all affiliated students on probation.

This board commends the committee for making it clear that any violation of election bylaws is inexcusable, then backing its decision with a decisive and authoritative punishment.

The election had already showed signs of souring at a public debate on the referendum on Jan. 29, when athletes constantly interrupted former John Muir College Junior Senator Aida Kuzucan and Thurgood Marshall College Junior Senator Kyle Samia with jeering and derogatory comments — fostering a spirit of polarization in an already emotional campaign. Since Samia filed his grievance, students unaffiliated with the A.S. Council have contacted councilmembers with allegations of harassment.

Elections require respectful, sportsmanlike conduct on all sides. All students should be able to make an independent decision without harassment or intimidation, and unacceptable behavior like that displayed by some of UCSD’s athletes — who are supposedly campaigning to improve school spirit and campus unification — should not be tolerated.