Council Addresses Executive Election Complaints
SACKVILLE, NB — On February 5th, 2015, the Students’ Administrative Council (SAC) met to address two complaints received by the Office of the Mount Allison Students’ Union (MASU) Ombudsperson regarding the recent executive election. Dylan Wooley-Berry will be featured on a yes/no ballot for MASU President and voting will take place on Friday, February 13th and Saturday, February 14th.
The first complaint, received on January 28th, was about the inability to abstain from the second round of voting when using the interface provided by Simply Voting. The only ballot affected by this complaint is the ballot for MASU President, since a majority elected all other successful candidates in the first round of voting. The second complaint, received January 30th, was about a presidential candidate seen consuming alcohol at an event hosted by the Flint Improv Co. at The Pond on January 14th.
On February 2nd, Wooley-Berry was disqualified by the Chief Returning Officer (CRO) on the basis of the second complaint, citing MASU Operating Procedure V Section 8.9: “Campaign related events shall not include alcohol.” According to MASU Bylaw IV.14(G), The CRO shall “adhere to the MASU election and referendum procedures as outlined in the Bylaws, Operating Procedure V – Elections, and Operating Procedure XII – Referenda; any variance to these Bylaws or Operating Procedures must first be approved by Council.” Since reopening elections would be a “variance” to the election schedule outlined in Operating Procedure V – Elections, the CRO required the approval of the SAC to act further on Wooley-Berry’s disqualification.
During the SAC meeting, Webster cited the legal advice of the MASU’s lawyer regarding Wooley-Berry’s disqualification. “On the issue of alcohol, the Improv event is not organized by a candidate and is at least arguably not a ‘campaign event’. Operating Procedure V – Elections provides that campaign events ‘shall not involve alcohol.’ It does not say that candidates cannot drink, or attend events where alcohol is being served. The CRO’s authority is limited to enforcement of regulations in accordance with Bylaw III and the Operating Procedure V – Elections policy. There is no authority in the CRO to disqualify a candidate because they are seen consuming alcohol,” Webster noted.
In light of the concern raised about the inability to abstain in the second round of voting, and the legal advice regarding the issue of alcohol, Webster motioned that a runoff election be held for the first-round winner of the presidential ballot with a 7-day campaign period starting Friday, February 6th and voting take place Friday, February 13th and Saturday, February 14th. The motioned passed with 18 councillors in favour, 1 opposed, and 1 abstention.
The Mount Allison Students’ Union represents the best interests of all full- and part-time undergraduate and graduate students at Mount Allison University in Sackville, New Brunswick.
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Contact:
Ryan Harley
Vice-President, Communications
Mount Allison Students’ Union Inc.
(506) 364-2231