USAC affirms original election results
Polls open for internal vice president, academic affairs,
facilities runoffs
By Rashmi Nijagal
Daily Bruin Staff
The undergraduate student government voted unanimously last
night to approve all original election results except for those of
the internal vice president race.
The council convened amidst a gathering of about 100 Students
First slate supporters, who held posters and chanted in protest of
the judicial board’s former decision to call for the re-elections
of the student welfare commissioner and general representatives.
The supporters also protested the decision to uphold runoffs for
the office of internal vice president.
Polls will open today and tomorrow for the final elections of
internal vice president, academic affairs and facilities
commissioner.
The council’s decision comes after the judicial board determined
Monday night to allow the undergraduate government full decision on
whether or not the election results for student welfare and general
representative should stand.
Initially, the judicial board ruled last week that candidates
who were endorsed by the Bruin Democrats, an unofficial endorsing
group, were in violation of the election code. The point of
contention was an advertisement endorsing Students First candidates
published in the Daily Bruin. The judicial board further stated
that the narrow student welfare and general representative races
would go through re-elections because of the unauthorized
advertisement.
"I think (student government) did what was right," said Jennie
Lowe, a defeated candidate for the office of student welfare
commissioner. "These are the people we have elected in the past
year. It is up to them to make the decision."
The council refrained from assessing whether or not candidates
violated the election code by knowingly being endorsed by the Bruin
Democrats because no appeal had been filed about the judicial board
ruling.
The judicial board decided that the candidates were in violation
of the code, while the election board maintains that they were not.
The election board will post its decision about candidate
sanctioning today.
"We still hold our position that no violation occurred," said
Nikki Vivion, election board chair. "However, the judicial board
decided otherwise. Now we must respect that decision."
Though the council’s vote to uphold the student welfare and
general representatives election results passed easily, last
night’s meeting reached a heated debate over whether runoffs for
internal vice president should take place.
In the primary elections last week, Barbara Brazil, candidate
for internal vice president, received 50 percent of the 4,952 votes
cast, plus three additional votes. However, because the election
board received 35 ballots that were unaccounted for, the board felt
that this discrepancy, combined with Brazil’s narrow majority, did
not enable them to verify that Brazil won the elections.
"There was a discrepancy of 35 more ballots than signatures,"
Vivion said during the meeting. "We could not certify those
results."
Many students, however, argued that because it cannot be
determined which candidate got the 35 extra votes, there should not
be a runoff for the office of internal vice president. In addition,
students cited several court cases in support of their
argument.
"The election results must be upheld," said York Chang, newly
elected undergraduate student government president. "There is no
clear and convincing evidence as to which way the 35 ballots
affected the elections."
Those who supported a runoff for the office agreed that no
conclusive evidence could be found and that lack of evidence called
for another election between Brazil and Pilar McLellan, who won
44.2 percent of the votes in primaries.
"I agree with the election board’s decision (to call for a
runoff)," said Madeline Biesty, current facilities commissioner. "A
discrepancy was statistically significant in a race that was
decided by two votes."
In addition, several members of the student government said they
do not have the authority to interpret case rulings.
"(The undergraduate student government) is not a court of law,"
said Rob Greenhalgh, undergraduate student government president.
"(They) are not in a position to evaluate state law. They did what
they thought was right, and if members of the UCLA community want
to contest it in a court of law, that is their right to do so."
Others disagreed with the council’s decision to hold the runoff
for the office and felt that the voters’ decision was ignored.
"I am utterly and completely outraged," said Ryan Masaaki
Yokota, a fifth-year English and history student.
"What we are seeing here is the breakdown of democracy,
regardless of the fact of whether or not Barbara Brazil got 50
percent plus (three) votes. She still beat Pilar (McLellan). If
that isn’t the will of the people then I don’t know what is."
Despite the debate that occurred last night, students involved
in the campaign are now gearing up for the final elections today
and tomorrow.
"I still believe that Barbara won unequivocally and that the
voices of students that voted for her should have been upheld,"
Chang said.