A vague resolution passed by the Student Senate general body on October 29 causes confusion about campaigning rules as the voting period draws to a close.
As students made their way across campus Tuesday morning, they were likely confronted by a multitude of Student Senate hopefuls armed with candy and flyers taking advantage of precious campaigning time on the first day of voting.
All tickets were involved in campaign activities on Tuesday — except one.
Oct. 29, senate passed a resolution to shorten the election season from 24 days to 14. The resolution, less than two sentences in length, was revisited by the Student Nation ticket that claims the 14 days allowed for campaigning ended on Monday.
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“Given that campaigning started before the first (Board of Elections) debate on April 1, our understanding of the resolution was that campaigning was required to stop after this 14-day period,” said Ben Mathes, Student Nation presidential candidate.
Campaigning officially began March 31 at 7 a.m., according to the senate application for candidates.
Tickets that campaigned during the voting period on Tuesday and Wednesday violated campaign rules, Mathes said.
Other tickets were also unsure whether campaigning would be allowed during the voting period.
“We were not clear and had to ask for clarification from the Board of Elections earlier in the campaign season,” said Jacob Haskins, current vice commissioner for residence life and a West Green senator candidate on the SOS ticket.
However, Tony Piccioni, presidential candidate for the Phoenix ticket, said all candidates received an email from the Board of Elections that specifically said campaigning would be allowed during the voting period.
Omar Kurdi, senate’s Board of Elections co-chair, confirmed sending the email to candidates.
“As a member of senate, I was never made aware that this was now our ad-hoc reading of a poorly written resolution,” Mathes said. “I am concerned that certain members of senate are speaking for the entire senate without allowing input from other members for political reasons.”
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Caitlyn McDaniel, current vice president for Student Senate, admits the resolution was “poorly worded” and that there was “miscommunication on both ends.”
She affirmed that campaigning during the voting period won’t affect whether a ticket is elected.
“I don’t want anyone to feel upset or wronged,” she said.
@mayganbeeler
mb076912@ohio.edu
