The Elections Board held a meeting to hear Student Government candidates’ complaints today.
In the meeting held at 2 p.m. in the House Chambers, the Elections Board decided whether or not to hear the contestations filed by various candidates challenging the results of the presidential election.
According to the unofficial results, Ella Tepper is the next SG president along with Jaclyn Broudy as next vice president, but challenges to the results could change that.
If approved, the contestations will be heard by the board in a meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 26 at 1:30 p.m. in the Senate Chambers. If candidates with the most votes are found to be ineligible, the next runners-up will become president and vice president.
According to the unofficial results, Tepper and Broudy have the most votes, followed by Pedro Amirato for president and Patrick Callahan for vice president. In third place is LaTasha Lee for president and Kori Padron for vice president, and lastly Addison Hosner for president and Conrad Brethold for vice president.
Seven challenges were filed on Friday, Feb. 22, but only three will be taken into consideration:
1. LaTasha Lee v. AJ Einbinder, Ella Tepper, and Jaclyn Broudy
Lee filed the first contestation against Tepper, Broudy, and their campaign manager AJ Einbinder.
Einbinder allegedly used Facebook to message people telling them to rank Tepper and Broudy first in the polls and other candidates last, based on a voting system that uses points to give the highest rankings the most votes.
Einbinder also allegedly took other candidates’ campaign flyers from students and threw them away.
“They need to get their facts straight because the evidence they presented was wrong,” Einbinder said about the contestation.
According to Elections Board Chair Michael Brown, a similar incident happened in a previous election in 2011, where candidate Christopher Puchferran was found to be ineligible because a supporter of his campaign was found to be guilty of “bribing people for votes.”
The Elections Board will hear the contestations at tomorrow’s meeting.
2. LaTasha Lee v. Unknown
Lee filed another contestation against an unknown person who ripped her flyers down in the Breezeway.
Lee requested video surveillance from the Breezway to confirm, but her request was not met in time for the Elections Board meeting.
According to Brown, there isn’t sufficient evidence to support Lee’s claim, so they will not hear this contestation.
3. Jaclyn Broudy v. Pedro Amirato and Patrick Callahan
Broudy filed a contestation against Amirato and Callahan for not having sponsors and election material approved by the Elections Board, as constituted by the SG statutes. These statutes require that all sponsors and election material be approved by the Elections Board.
Brown confirmed that Amirato and Callahan had sponsors and materials that the Elections Board did not approve.
“We were in over our heads and forgot to get some things approved,” said Amirato. “It’s not like we’re doing anything blatant.”
The contestation will be heard by the board at tomorrow’s meeting.
4. Patrick Callahan v. Jaclyn Broudy
Callahan filed contestations against Broudy claiming she is ineligible to hold a position as a student leader because of her recent written arrest for underage possession of alcohol.
Broudy got a citation on Friday, Feb. 8 at Night Owl, a local bar close to campus, for possession of alcohol.
According to Brown, ineligibility does not fall under the jurisdiction of the Elections Board, but under the Office of Student Affairs.
According to the SG constitution, a student can not hold a position in SG if they violate the Student Code of Conduct, one of the guidelines being underage drinking.
According to Dean of Students Terry Mena, Broudy is eligible to hold the position as outlined by university regulations. According to university regulations, a student official can be suspended from office if found guilty of a felony or if they are put on probation after a second offense of underage drinking, both on and off campus.
This is Broudy’s first offense and the Elections Board will not hear this contestation.
5. Patrick Callahan v. Jaclyn Broudy
Callahan filed another contestation based on Broudy’s eligibility, this time regarding GPA.
According to Broudy, her GPA is a 3.9 — exceeding the minimum requirement of a 2.5.
Brown cited the same reason for not hearing this contestation — ineligibility does not fall under the jurisdiction of the Elections Board.
6. Patrick Callahan v. AJ Einbinder, Ella Tepper, and Jaclyn Broudy
Callahan filed a contestation based on the same allegations Lee brought against Einbinder.
The Elections Board will hear this contestation at tomorrow’s meeting.
7. Ella Tepper v. LaTasha Lee
Tepper filed a contestation against Lee for ineligibility based on the amount of credit hours being taken.
The minimum credit hour requirement for graduate students is six.
Lee would not disclose the exact amount of credit hours she taking, but says that according to equivalency guideline, she is taking enough classes to be equivalent to a full time student.
She claims she would not be holding a position in the Graduate Student Association if she did not fulfill this requirement.
According to Brown, this contestation would have to be reviewed by the Office of Student Affairs in order for Lee to be deemed ineligible.
The board will not hear eligibility contestations at tomorrow’s meeting.
The Elections Board will hold the hearing tomorrow, Feb. 26, at 1:30 p.m. in the Senate Chambers.
