The two ineligible Student Senate candidates from the RSVP party who are contesting their disqualifications will not find out until later this week whether or not they will return to the ballot.
A total of 12 candidates were disqualified from the race for a combination of mistakes on their applications and judicial offenses. FACE lost nine candidates, all of whom appealed unsuccessfully.
Only two of three disqualified RSVP candidates — fine arts senator candidate Emma Hein and University College senator candidate Tracy Lee — decided to appeal, said Kyle Triplett, the party’s presidential candidate and a current student trustee. Both were disqualified because of duplicate signatures on their petitions.
Board of Elections Chairman Chauncey Jackson said the disqualified candidates might have some options ahead of the May 18 to 19 election, although they won’t be able to campaign on their previous tickets.
“The candidates are free to do a write-in campaign,” he said, stressing that the Board of Elections would have to make an official decision if the question came up.
Elections Special Appeals Committee Chairman and Student Senate President Jesse Neader said the committee, which consists of Student Senate members and provides oversight to the Board of Elections, has received the two RSVP appeals but has not yet met to rule on them. The committee will decide by the end of the week, he added.
The committee’s first meeting denied eight appeals by FACE candidates, affirming their disqualifications. A ninth FACE candidate turned in an appeal after that meeting.
Neader said the committee will apply its previous ruling to the ninth FACE appeal because all of the FACE candidates submitted the same form letter with their arguments. FACE lost four of its candidates because of judicial offenses and five because of misreported GPAs, FACE presidential candidate Matthew Wallace said, adding that he was “disappointed” by the committee’s decision.
“I don’t like the ruling, but I know they’re fair people,” he said.
However, the committee has not looked at the RSVP appeals and might not be able to apply the earlier ruling, Neader said.
If the final two RSVP candidates’ appeals are denied, there would be no eligible candidate for fine arts senator, as both RSVP’s Emma Hein and FACE’s Alayna Moreman were disqualified. Parties are not allowed to replace disqualified candidates.
If the candidates don’t run as write-in candidates, next year’s senate would be able to choose a new senator, he said.
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