On Dec. 3, the Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA) announced that their referendum to increase the clubs and societies’ levy by $1.75 per semester received a ‘yes’ vote.
According to CUSA’s Writ of Referenda, a maximum of $400 is to be spent on advertising for a ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ campaign regarding a referendum question.
However, questions arose when a full-page advertisement for the ‘yes’ campaign appeared in The Charlatan. A full-page ad costs at least $600, which is $200 over the budget laid down by the writ.
What is more problematic is that CUSA’s elections chief electoral officer (CEO) is unable to address this possible infringement of the rule without a formal complaint within 24 hours. This means if no one complains—even if the CEO notices the infraction—rules such as this one can easily be broken. These rules are the same for CUSA elections.
With election season upon us, CUSA must review their writ of referenda and the process in which they address possible infringements for both the referenda and elections. More power should be given to the election’s CEO, who shouldn’t need a formal complaint to act.
Moreover, consequences should be clear and any loopholes should be addressed. Not enough time is spent on making the Writ of Referenda clear and accessible to Carleton students, nor similar rules for CUSA elections, and voters should be aware of the inner workings of the democratic process.
CUSA should revamp their writ of referenda and the election’s rules accordingly. Failure to do so can hinder the possibility of a fair and democratic election process moving forward.
