The Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA) 2020 election is heating up. The first warning of the election has been issued, in addition to two other electoral complaints, followed by a violation report mistake.
Mohamed Hamed, candidate for vice-president (community engagement), was issued a warning for campaigning before the designated period, according to chief electoral officer (CEO) Claudia Calagoure-Perna on Jan. 24. However, the original violation report for the complaint, published Jan. 22, said Hamed was accused of having extra copies of nomination sheets.
Calagoure-Perna said the mistake in the violation report was human error, saying herself and the other electoral officers have been filing the violation reports after long work days and just “didn’t catch it.”
Despite the discrepancy in the violation report, Hamed’s warning stands.
“The evidence submitted has been viewed and a warning has been issued, as the candidate was unaware,” reads the violation report.
The same electoral complaint was filed earlier in the election against Morgan McKeen, also a candidate running for vice-president (community engagement), during the nomination period.
Two other violation reports, also published Jan. 22, against Matt Gagne, candidate for vice-president (finance), and Sissi De Flaviis, who was previously a nominated candidate but did not accept her candidacy, and is now campaign manager for the Students First slate.
De Flaviis became the third person accused of having extra copies of nomination sheets during the election, but no violation was issued.
No violation was issued against Gagne either, who was accused of campaigning before the designated campaigning period, which began on Jan. 21 at midnight.
Although Gagne created a group, no posts were made within the group until the campaigning period began, according to the chief electoral officer, Claudia Calagoure-Perna.
“[T]his is not being considered a violation as we were notified and included in the group,” reads Gagne’s violation report.
Editor’s note: A previous version of this article said Mohamed Hamed was issued a warning for extra copies of nomination sheets. He was issued a warning for campaigning before the designated period.
Featured image from file.
