The Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA) electoral office has ruled that it will not be giving out any violations to the One Carleton slate based on complaints made on Feb. 2, the last day of voting in the election.
One Carleton was accused in a complaint to the elections office of using off-campus volunteers (non-Carleton students), and urging voters to cast their votes using the executive teams’ personal technology.
David Andrews, the team’s campaign manager, was also accused of campaigning in a restricted residence area. Photo evidence was provided with the complaint and identified Alexis Oundo, candidate for vice-president (student services), as the person in the photo, but the elections office found that no violation had taken place.
The elections offfice’s report states that “the matter is closed” for two complaints due to conclusive evidence.
The third violation investigation, regarding the use of executive personal devices, was determined to have inconclusive evidence.
Chief electoral officer (CEO) of the election Frano Cavar declined to comment on the violation decisions.
Last week’s CUSA election saw a historic voter turnout, resulting in the One Carleton slate sweeping the executive council, capturing all six executive positions.
“I believe the CEO/DEOs will do their best in investigating any allegations made during the elections,” Zameer Masjedee, CUSA’s One Carleton president-elect, said. “Should no violations be given, then the CEO must not have felt that the evidence was valid.”
Masjedee’s team was issued one violation during the campaign—an offence against him after an off-campus student was caught campaigning on his behalf.
Masjedee said the number of violations issued during this year’s CUSA election was not unusual.
“In years past there’s been an average of one or two violations each year. The total number handed out this year is pretty normal,” Masjedee said.
Ahmad Araji, vice-president (internal) candidate for Change, received a violation on Jan. 31 for bringing a volunteer into a class talk to give a testimonial for him. Kenneth Aliu, Change candidate for vice-president (student issues) also received a violation for a breach of the Carleton Human Rights Code.
According to the CUSA electoral code, a first violation for a candidate results in an official warning.
The code states that an executive team can receive a maximum of six violation offences before the team is disqualified.
According to the guidelines, a complaint can be filed online by any Carleton student within 24 hours of the alleged offence and can be anonymous.
Decisions made by the CEO of the electoral office can be appealed to the elections board.
