During this election season, the Election Board has been approached by groups and individuals of the UCLA community regarding the endorsement process.
There have been allegations of misrepresentation and a lack of communication among these groups and the people who acted as group member proxies.
Our process has also been called into question, so we would like to take the time to explain our process.
Our role during elections is to provide a fair and impartial process for the student body and candidates. The process for endorsing is as follows:
1. The Election Board advertised in the Daily Bruin that group endorsement applications were available in Kerckhoff 313.
2. Groups then turned in their applications.
3. Groups were then confirmed and invited to a Group Endorsement Meeting where they were given information on the endorsement process.
4. Substitution forms were made available so that groups could have a proxy represent them in the event that a representative of a group could not attend the endorsement hearings.
5. An endorsement hearing took place and the group representatives filled out their endorsement slips, which were given at the end of the hearing.
When we reviewed submitted material, a designated representative of the group endorsing had to have attended both the informational meeting and the endorsement hearing in order for their endorsements to be considered valid.
The Election Board can attest to the fact that all endorsements publicized in the Daily Bruin were double and triple checked by the time they were submitted to the Daily Bruin advertising department.
Our process has been valid and fair to all involved.
We understand that our process can always be improved upon. That does not give anyone the right to take advantage of the established procedures by misrepresenting these groups.
The Election Board is responsible for upholding the Election Code and delivering sanctions when evidence of violations has been reported. We cannot deliver sanctions or regulate the morals and integrity of those who wish to take advantage of our process.
We would like to believe that everyone on our campus is a “True Bruin,” but what happens behind closed doors among groups and the people reaching out to them for endorsements is what has caused uncertainty in this process and not the Election Board’s endorsement procedure.
As for the groups who feel like they have become marginalized by this system of endorsing, we extend our apologies.
To any additional groups who wish to step forward, please do so, as it is your responsibility to your fellow Bruins and yourselves.
We have the highest expectations of the students at UCLA and we can only hope that people take ownership and responsibility for their actions on this matter. They owe that much to this university.
Sincerely,
Election Board