Editorial: Experience necessary for USAC Election Board chair

The original version of this editorial contained information that was unclear and has been changed. See the bottom of the article for additional information.

When asked Tuesday night, the student appointed to oversee the upcoming undergraduate government elections could not name all 13 council members, nor recall one political slate.

In a hasty move, the Undergraduate Students Association Council appointed Anthony Padilla, a third-year biochemistry student, as this year’s Election Board chair despite serious concerns about his lack of qualifications and knowledge of USAC or the elections process.

The Election Board chair is charged with running the spring USAC elections, a notoriously divisive period that floods Bruin Walk with flyers and Facebook with campaign posts. Inevitably, the week is accompanied by rampant election sanctions and alleged misconduct, which the Election Board chair must enforce and investigate. 

It was irresponsible for the council, led by President John Joanino, to approve a candidate who was so obviously unprepared for a position integral to preserving the role of USAC as a fairly elected and representative governing body.

While it is commendable that Padilla would volunteer himself to such a public and at times contentious position, he will have his work cut out for him learning the ins and outs of election planning and code enforcement.

At least one qualified person was overlooked by Joanino for appointment to the position of Election Board chair : J.D. Zelman, a fourth-year philosophy student who previously coordinated student government elections at Moorpark College. Joanino told the Daily Bruin last week that he did not bring Zelman before the council for consideration because he believed Zelman and Internal Vice President Avi Oved were personal friends.

Both Zelman and Oved said they are in the same fraternity, but are not close acquaintances.

In an interview with the editorial board Wednesday, Zelman demonstrated an impressive knowledge of the USAC elections process, highlighting the importance of fairness and transparency in the investigations process during elections and a strict adherence to bylaws and the election code.

Zelman told the board the reason the USAC Office of the President gave him for rejecting his application was that despite his past experience running elections, they were looking for someone with more experience in student government elections at UCLA.

Using this line of reasoning, the council’s choice is all the more perplexing.

Padilla will take on the position with no previous experience with USAC or student government elections. During his appointment interview, he struggled to answer basic questions about USAC and his only plans to improve the elections process were to make it more “sustainable” and reduce paper waste.

Though council members discussed Padilla’s lack of knowledge of USAC and his unimpressive answers, a majority of the council still appointed him to the position with a vote of 8-4-0, with USAC Internal Vice President Avi Oved, Financial Support Commissioner Lauren Rogers, Campus Events Commissioner Jessica Kim and General Representative Sunny Singh voting against Padilla’s appointment.

USAC has no better recourse than to remove Padilla from the Election Board chair position by a two-thirds vote, as mandated by the council’s bylaws. Ultimately, the responsibility for this decision falls with Joanino, who is tasked with bringing qualified Election Board candidates before council for consideration.

Zelman appears to be the most qualified candidate for the position and deserves to be reviewed by the council.

USAC owes it to the student body to appoint a prepared chair that is committed to ensuring a fair and transparent elections process.

Clarification: USAC President John Joanino told The Bruin last week that he did not bring Zelman before council for consideration because he believed Zelman and Internal Vice President Avi Oved were friends.