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The Daily OrangeSA | Seivert may have broken regulations
By Paige Dearing
Posted: 11/13/07, 10:01 PM EST Section: News
As voting for Student Association president continues this week, Larry Seivert's write-in campaign may have violated several SA election codes.
As of Tuesday, second of the four-day polling period, SA's Board of Election and Membership (BEM) received notice of three or four potential campaign violations of SA elections codes, said BEM chair Alec Sim. He would not go into detail regarding the exact violations.
Some violations "are more serious than others, and some requiring more investigation than others," he said. "But so far, there have been no breach of campaign guidelines."
SA's election codes outline that campaigning is prohibited in residential halls, on-campus computer clusters, on-campus media sources and other additional polling places during a campus-wide election. The guidelines are enforced under the discretion of the BEM, but appeals can be made to the Judicial Review Board (JRB).
Violation punishments range from a $10 fine per item for offensive campaign material to election disqualification.
Talk of violations has provoked discussion over what campaign guidelines apply to write-in candidates. Write-in candidates, like Seivert, are not limited to the election codes until they become official candidates, which is after they receive their first vote.
Sim determined Seivert to be an official candidate after Seivert told Sim he voted for himself.
"I haven't seen the hard evidence," Sim said. "I have access to it, but I see no reason to looking into that when there's such strong, implicit evidence that Larry is now an official candidate."
SA had no authority to monitor Seivert's campaigning behavior prior to the start of the election at midnight Monday.
"Anything (Seivert) did before becoming an official candidate is not eligible for review by the BEM or the JRB," Sim said.
Freshman Abby Simon got the Seivert flyer when she opened her mailbox Monday. It is unclear when the flyers were distributed to BBB mailboxes. Had the flyers been distributed after the opening of the polls, it would have been considered a violation.
"I've been waiting for a package, so I've been checking my mail every couple of days," said the management major, predicting that the flyers were given out sometime during the weekend.
Brockway, part of BBB, doubles as both a residential hall and dining hall. Campaigning is allowed in dining halls.
"Campaigning in dining halls is permitted with the exception of Shaw and Kimmel, which have computers right there," said SA presidential candidate Marlene Goldenberg. Voting moved online to MySlice this year, making any computer with an Internet connection a potential polling location.
Goldenberg said she centered her campaign on making personal connections with students, giving out fliers to students in Schine Student Center and meeting with student leaders.
Seivert declined to comment on the focus of his campaign.
"I don't know if I wish to share that too much, because that might get to my opposition," he said. "If I tell you where I've been focusing then my opposition may choose to try and focus on that as well."
Seivert's write-in campaign and the new online voting system raised questions concerning the current election codes and prompted change for the future.
"I've had many questions regarding policies in the election code as well as interpretation, because a lot of it is interpretation of the codes in respect to what the BEM decides," said Seivert, who plans to clarify the election codes next session. "I've had many questions, going back and forth with (Sim), just making sure I'm following the specified guidelines."
As of Tuesday, second of the four-day polling period, SA's Board of Election and Membership (BEM) received notice of three or four potential campaign violations of SA elections codes, said BEM chair Alec Sim. He would not go into detail regarding the exact violations.
Some violations "are more serious than others, and some requiring more investigation than others," he said. "But so far, there have been no breach of campaign guidelines."
SA's election codes outline that campaigning is prohibited in residential halls, on-campus computer clusters, on-campus media sources and other additional polling places during a campus-wide election. The guidelines are enforced under the discretion of the BEM, but appeals can be made to the Judicial Review Board (JRB).
Violation punishments range from a $10 fine per item for offensive campaign material to election disqualification.
Talk of violations has provoked discussion over what campaign guidelines apply to write-in candidates. Write-in candidates, like Seivert, are not limited to the election codes until they become official candidates, which is after they receive their first vote.
Sim determined Seivert to be an official candidate after Seivert told Sim he voted for himself.
"I haven't seen the hard evidence," Sim said. "I have access to it, but I see no reason to looking into that when there's such strong, implicit evidence that Larry is now an official candidate."
SA had no authority to monitor Seivert's campaigning behavior prior to the start of the election at midnight Monday.
"Anything (Seivert) did before becoming an official candidate is not eligible for review by the BEM or the JRB," Sim said.
Freshman Abby Simon got the Seivert flyer when she opened her mailbox Monday. It is unclear when the flyers were distributed to BBB mailboxes. Had the flyers been distributed after the opening of the polls, it would have been considered a violation.
"I've been waiting for a package, so I've been checking my mail every couple of days," said the management major, predicting that the flyers were given out sometime during the weekend.Brockway, part of BBB, doubles as both a residential hall and dining hall. Campaigning is allowed in dining halls.
"Campaigning in dining halls is permitted with the exception of Shaw and Kimmel, which have computers right there," said SA presidential candidate Marlene Goldenberg. Voting moved online to MySlice this year, making any computer with an Internet connection a potential polling location.
Goldenberg said she centered her campaign on making personal connections with students, giving out fliers to students in Schine Student Center and meeting with student leaders.
Seivert declined to comment on the focus of his campaign.
"I don't know if I wish to share that too much, because that might get to my opposition," he said. "If I tell you where I've been focusing then my opposition may choose to try and focus on that as well."
Seivert's write-in campaign and the new online voting system raised questions concerning the current election codes and prompted change for the future.
"I've had many questions regarding policies in the election code as well as interpretation, because a lot of it is interpretation of the codes in respect to what the BEM decides," said Seivert, who plans to clarify the election codes next session. "I've had many questions, going back and forth with (Sim), just making sure I'm following the specified guidelines."
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 10
Meghan
posted 11/14/07 @ 9:12 AM EST
this kid is an idiot.
Sonseere
posted 11/14/07 @ 9:32 AM EST
It is quite paradoxical that Mr. Seivert guards his campaign focus so closely when he served in Ms. Goldenberg's campaign, taking part in all strategy discussions until only one-half hour before declaring his own candidacy. (Continued…)
Anonymous
posted 11/14/07 @ 1:23 PM EST
I sure hope Abby got her package.
Anonymous
posted 11/15/07 @ 12:29 AM EST
Why is no one investigating the email sent out by Marlene's "unofficial vice president" (who just so happens to be letting everyone know) to the floor in DellPlain Hall which she oversees as a Resident Advisor? Is that not campaigning in the dorms?
Bobby VI
posted 11/15/07 @ 12:47 PM EST
Perhaps the Anonymous poster previous to this post would like to crawl out from the cowardly status which Anonymity holds and make any accusations with their name attached to it. (Continued…)
stomper
posted 11/15/07 @ 1:29 PM EST
DON'T DO IT AGAIN
The Neville
posted 11/15/07 @ 2:23 PM EST
I helped to write the current revision of the election codes when I look at the codes this is where I can see possible infractions, Statute I, Article III, Section G. (Continued…)
Sarah
posted 11/15/07 @ 3:50 PM EST
no one said the paper did anything wrong...?, but if what that person is saying is true (and it seems easy enough to find out...go ask around dellplain for a copy of the email, yes?), then it does seem only fair to publish infractions by both parties in the do (though it does seem to have taken a slant in favor of marlene). (Continued…)
Anonymous
posted 11/15/07 @ 4:04 PM EST
Taking an eye for an eye? In all fairness, why not? It's politics! Mosey on over to DP, Bobby VI, and any of the third floor residents can give you a copy. (Continued…)
Bobby VI
posted 11/15/07 @ 4:29 PM EST
I will reiterate my anonymous statement again. If you are going to post a comment, at least have the decency to state your name. Hiding behind a keyboard is too easy as it is, much less when you don't have to share who you are. (Continued…)
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