Keep RRRA Working was declared the winner of this year’s Rideau River Residence Association (RRRA) election March 28 — a week after results were supposed to be announced.
The results were delayed pending an investigation into the Home Team, which was tied with Keep RRRA Working with 290 votes, according to a press release.
The investigation started after the department of housing brought a “confidential” issue to the attention of the chief electoral officer (CEO) Fadi El Masry, according to the release.
El Masry wouldn’t comment, but Thompson said the investigation is centred around a residence desk binder that Home Team presidential candidate and residence desk employee Shanée Bailey got her hands on.
The binder contains the confidential information about the approximately 3,000 students living in residence including their full names, birth date, and residence room, Thompson said.
When El Masry was informed of this, Thompson said he gave the team a choice.
“[The Home Team] had the option to resign and what [Bailey] did would remain totally confidential,” she said, adding the other option was to stay in the running but have the incident be investigated.
“They decided they would fight against it; they remained adamant that [Bailey] did not steal it,” Thompson said.
Although Bailey refused to speak, she addressed the allegations in a Facebook note March 22. Bailey said she struggles with mental health issues and accuses El Masry of trying to “shame” her out of the elections.
“I brought the [rez binder] back to my room before nominations even took place and in my distracted state forgot to return it after,” she said. “I had totally forgotten about having this binder, and today was informed that because it was in my possession I, and my whole team would be [disqualified].”
Bailey said she told the CEO about the binder and her mental health issues, but he accused the slate of cheating.
“What’s worst is that he then used my confession of my issues with mental health to blackmail me into ‘quietly dropping out of the race’ right before we are supposed to do the recount,” she said.
Bailey denied using the personal information in the binder to help the Home Team win the election.
“I never used this binder to further us in the election,” she said. “I didn’t even remember I had it until I was asked to return it.”
“The Home Team has run nothing but a fair and honest campaign.”
Although Thompson said she doesn’t know how the residence binder and mental health issues are connected, things have “gotten really out of hand.”
Although El Masry’s investigation has concluded and the Home Team has been disqualified, housing and the department of university safety are still investigating Bailey, according to the release.
David Sterritt, Carleton’s director of housing, declined to comment.
There were initially five slates running for this year’s election but one of them, the W.A.Y slate, was disqualified March 20.
President-elect Omar Bainto said he’s glad the elections are over and he’s looking forward to getting to work.
“I think the election was conducted in a very fair and transparent way and there were allegations of all types of things,” he said. “So many rumours just flying around about everybody and it was definitely a crazy time, but in all honesty I’m glad it’s over now.”
Bainto said he sees the summer as a big planning period for his entire executive to get a head start on next year’s plans.
— with files from Oliver Sachgau
