Tensions surge as voting nears end

Today is the last day of voting for the undergraduate student
government primary elections, and both candidates and slates are
bustling to campaign as the cutoff time for the elections
approaches.

Hours of campaigning and soliciting has had its ups and downs
for candidates and their supporters.

Tensions reached a boiling point Wednesday afternoon during a
rally organized by Student Power! supporters. One member of Student
Power! alleges she was called a “chink” by an audience
member during the rally.

At another point during the event, a supporter or supporters of
Student Power! allegedly called members of Bruins United who are
ethnic minorities “race traitors.”

No comprehensive report of the events exists.

After numerous walks up and down Bruin Walk and talking to
anyone who could be a potential supporter, candidates will wait to
hear the results when they are announced at approximately 9:30
tonight in front of Kerckhoff Hall. Voting is hosted via the MyUCLA
Web site and will be available until 7 p.m.

The possibility of a runoff election exists for the three
executive positions. Runoffs would take place from Tuesday to
Thursday of the following week.

But the main focus is on the primaries right now.

The Undergraduate Students Association Council is a governance
of 13 elected positions consisting of seven commissioner offices,
three general representatives and an executive branch that includes
the internal vice president, external vice president and the
president. This year’s executive branch could face a runoff
election because there are three candidates running for each of the
positions.

Though there are three general representative positions
available and six candidates running, none will have to face a
runoff election.

Currently, the Elections Code dictates that only if there are
more than six candidates for the position would a runoff be
necessary to reduce the number of candidates to six.

The role of slates on council is often questioned, as some
current councilmembers view their positions as members of the
minority slate on this year’s council as a disadvantage. The
slate currently known as Student Power! holds majority at the
moment.

Alex Gruenberg, current presidential candidate with Bruins
United, said other councilmembers from the majority slate did not
work with him and isolated him from their projects.

Gruenberg said this experience is what drives him to being
“open to working with anyone. I would make an effort to
working with all (councilmembers) to really address the needs of
students.”

Both Gruenberg and Jenny Wood, presidential candidate with
Student Power!, currently hold council seats.

Wood said she looks forward to working with a mixed council
because she believes if “councilmembers are about serving
students, then they will work together as a team.”

Most candidates who may face a runoff election say they prefer
not to have one because of the toll it takes on their time and
energy.

“I’ve spent my whole day handing out fliers and
preparing for other campaign stuff. Recently, I’ve been going
to bed at 1 a.m. and waking up at 7 a.m. every day just to keep up
with everything,” said Kristina Doan, Bruins United internal
vice president candidate.

Citing similar concerns, current general representative and IVP
candidate with Student Power! Tommy Tseng said, “I would
prefer it that there wouldn’t be a runoff, but if it comes,
it will give me more opportunities to talk to students before the
final vote.”

Besides the runoff elections, the mixture of students
representing different slates could produce a council without a
majority slate.

With reports from Narges Zohoury and Charles Proctor, Bruin
senior staff.

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