The Rideau River Residence Association’s (RRRA) Chief Electoral Officer David Valentin disqualified a slate less than five hours before voting stations opened early this morning.
Kendra Kading, who was running for vice-president (programming) for RRRA Rez-Solution, said she and fellow candidates Sidney Otoboeze and Daniel Shalinsky were notified by email that their slate was removed from the ballot. Kading said her slate was surprised, because they tried to run a clean campaign.
“I’m here to give the best year possible to students next year, but we’re not being given a fair chance to actually do that,” Kading said.
The RRRA’s official rulings concluded that the slate violated 11 electoral rules, including “two violations of voter bribery, one with liquor, overspending in the RRRA Election and failure to abide by candidate contracts.”
“Teams have been disqualified at RRRA for only three violations. I think I have been extremely lenient this year in making sure that it’s not just any three violations that get you kicked out. It’s any three serious violations,” Valentin said.
Valentin said if the constitutional board or the RRRA council rules in RRRA Rez-Solution’s favour, there will be a new election day.