WEB EXCLUSIVE 3:45 p.m. The General Studies Student Council Judicial Committee announced in an e-mail to candidates today that three of the positions results had been annulled and will remain open to all for a fall race.
The results of the University Senate, Vice President of Policy, and Academic Affairs Representative have been voided after campaigning complaints were raised against some of the candidates, complaints that the Judicial Committee determined were rules violations. Vice President of Policy-elect Scott Jurkowski, elected University Senator Paul Zachary, and Richard Adams, who was elected Academic Affairs Representative, will all have the opportunity to run for their positions again in the fall, but their wins have been canceled for the time being.
Jurkowski and University Senator candidate Paige Lampkin, who was running as a write-in incumbent and lost to Zachary, were challenged for circulating fliers without proper Elections Commission stamps, and for campaigning on the day of the election in the building where the election is being held. While the JC determined that fliers without the right stamps were being used with the Elections Commission’s permission, Jurkowski and Lampkin were found in violation of the second challenge.
While the complaints, lodged by University Senator candidate Nathan Miller, were submitted after the 24 hour window for elections complaints, the Electoral Committee agreed to review it, and so the Judicial Committee determined that Miller had the right to appeal to them with his concerns.
Facebook campaigning was a stumbling blook for Jurkowski, Lampkin, and Adams, as screenshots show that the three updated their Facebook statuses urging people to vote for them after the cut-off campaigning deadline had passed. The JC ruled that in itself was an act of campaigning.
“However, it is the opinion of the Judicial Committee that because of confusion regarding the issue, we would not wish to bar Mr. Zachary, Mr. Jurkowski, or Mr. Adams from serving their fellow students in any capacity,” members of the Judiciary Committee wrote in the e-mail, encouraging the candidates and other interested students to apply for the position in the fall.
“Were we to ignore the infraction, voters would have been done a disservice in having an unfair election," the e-mail said. "Were we to ban candidates for such infractions, voters who wished those candidates to represent them would also have been harmed.”
Alix Pianin contributed reporting to this article.
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