A member of the Carleton University Students’ Association’s (CUSA) electoral board has been accused of pressuring a presidential candidate to drop their campaign.
Chief electoral officer (CEO) Nicolas Gil Ocampo confirmed an allegation of an electoral offence under section 16.3.1 of the electoral code had been filed.
Guiseppe Ivan Sestini, a first-year law and human rights student, is the campaign manager for CUSA presidential candidate Veronica Dhindsa. Sestini told the Charlatan second-year global law and social justice student Anthony Valenti and third-year law student Nathaniel Black asked Dhindsa to drop her campaign and support competitor Anastasia Lettieri.
Valenti and Black confirmed they met with Dhindsa.
“I at no point told her that she needed to drop out or that she should drop out,” Valenti said.
Valenti is a student-at-large on CUSA’s electoral board, the association’s governing body responsible for reviewing electoral offences.
The electoral board oversees the electoral officers and is responsible for reviewing appeals to the electoral office regarding offences. The chair of the board is Melanie Chapman, Carleton’s ombudsperson.
“When it came to vote on any candidate’s violation, or if anyone chose to appeal to the electoral board, I have already been anticipating that I would have abstained just because of my disdain for this election as it stands,” Valenti said.
Section 16.3.1 states an action that may “undermine the integrity, fairness and freedom of any electoral process” is an electoral offence.
Chapman said complaints made about the non-academic behaviour of a student are generally referred to the Students Affairs Office or Equity and Inclusive Communities. Since Dhindsa’s allegations are not regarding the conduct of a candidate or a candidate’s campaigning team, they would not be addressed by the electoral office.
“We are looking into the issue, evidence, statements and everything else so that we can come to a decision,” Ocampo said. “That investigation is underway.”
Lettieri confirmed she was approached by Valenti and that she notified the electoral office.
“I am putting my trust in the CEO and electoral board to properly address and handle this matter,” Lettieri said. “I have faith that they will make the correct decision moving forwards.”
Dhindsa said she met with Black and Valenti at a coffee shop on March 3, and then again on a Zoom call later that night that also included Sestini, Lettieri and Lettieri’s campaign manager.
While Black confirmed these meetings, he said he did not pressure her to drop her campaign.
“I at no point told [Dhindsa] that she needed to drop out or that she should drop out,” Black said. “Nor would I have ever told a candidate that they need to withdraw from the race.”
The Charlatan confirmed Black messaged Dhindsa a suggested statement for her to post on Instagram following their meeting. The drafted statement, which Dhindsa did not post and did not agree to, announced her withdrawal from the presidential race and her support for Lettieri.
Dhindsa also confirmed Black sent her this statement to post on her social media.
“I have decided to withdraw my name from consideration for the presidency and support Anastasia,” the statement read.
Black confirmed he spoke to Dhindsa, but said he sent her the message because Dhinsda requested it.
“At the end of our conversation she had informed us that she would like to consider supporting Anastasia,” Black said. “One of the ways to do that, based on electioneering, is for a candidate to drop out.”
At the time of publication, voting days and campaigning have been postponed indefinitely.
Valenti announced his resignation as student-at-large in an Instagram post on March 14.
“There have been false allegations that I attempted to coerce a presidential candidate into withdrawing,” Valenti wrote. “I want to apologize for my part in the events that have transpired.”
This article was last updated on March 13 to include comment from Melanie Chapman.The article was also corrected to reflect that Anthony Valenti is a second-year student. This article was also updated on March 15 to include information about Anthony Valenti’s resignation.
Featured image by Cara Garneau.
