The members of the Rideau River Residence Association (RRRA) council will vote on whether or not to overturn the constitutional board’s ruling to disqualify slate A New RRRA on April 7.
Chief electoral officer David Valentin said he does not think the motion will pass, as A New RRRA would need two-thirds of the council to vote in favour of overruling the decision made by the constitutional board to disqualify them.
Valentin said the evidence for the disqualification has been reviewed twice and it is unlikely RRRA council will draw a different conclusion a third time.
A New RRRA was disqualified after their win in the second election due to multiple harassment violations.
John Mesman, campaign manager of A New RRRA, originally filed the appeal and said he thinks RRRA has become a “popularity contest.”
“The expectation is that the association is democratic . . . sometimes, that sight can get lost . . . which is why it is difficult to say whether or not we will get two-thirds of the vote,” Mesman said.
However, Mesman said he is confident in the appeal and that it should be a straightforward process.
Mesman said since election rules vary each year depending on the CEO, he believes there are flaws in the electoral code.
“I see this as a one-sided battle of power, and I don’t think that they should have been violations in the first place,” he said.
Mesman said he hopes university administration will step in and take action if the overruling doesn’t take place, so that the slate doesn’t have to pursue legal action.
“We don’t think we have the money to pursue [legal action], even though we know we have been wronged,” Mesman said.
Valentin said it is unlikely that there will be a third RRRA election, barring any new evidence being presented.
