The majority of Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA) councillors and executives voted in favour of reforms to their electoral code at a meeting Dec. 4.
The reforms included allowing online voting and making changes to electoral offence policies.
The changes were made through several motions put forward by chair of CUSA’s electoral review committee, Brandon Wallingford.
CUSA failed one motion that, if passed, would have allowed councillors to run on slates, similarly to how executive candidates currently run.
Wallingford, who moved the motion, said council slates happen regardless of rules currently disallowing this.
Alex Watson, a public affairs councillor, voted in favour of the failed motion. He said CUSA councillors have been running on unofficial slates for years and councillors should stop lying to students.
“Councillors should have nothing to hide,” he said.
Journalism councillor Harrison Boyd was strongly against the motion.
“Councillors should run independently to keep the executive accountable,” he said.
Other councillors said if the motion passed independent candidates may be disadvantaged by the power of larger slates.
The motion failed with six for and 17 against.
Council passed a motion to allow online voting.
Online voting will likely result in lower costs and higher voter turn-out, Wallingford said.
One reform to the electoral offence policy included making elections more accessible by working with the Paul Menton Centre and the Carleton Disability Awareness Centre.
Another change to the code gives CUSA’s chief electoral officer (CEO) the right to streamline council debate. This means if the CEO decides there is not enough interest among council candidates, they can choose to forego councillor election debate.
This would not affect executive debate.
