Show Who is Running the Elections By David Finch in Editor-in-Chief The Student Body Officer elections elections elections elec elec- have begun for the 2003 2004 school year Many of this years year's election rules have been changed from those of the last lastoW oW election Pete Morgan Chair of the Election Committee said the changes were to make campaigning campaign campaign- ing easier for the candidates These changes come in the wake of last years year's controversy over the alleged rule breaking of some of the candidates Most of the changes made to the election rules this year are simple matters of phrasing and the annual changes made to accommodate the ever-changing ever process of campaigning and election Others however radically radically radically radi radi- cally change the elections both in ethics and in accountability Last year most of the rules allegedly being broken were those surrounding the campaigning campaign campaign- ing and its expenses Some individuals individuals individuals indi indi- were accused of spending spending spending spend spend- ing more than was allowed under the rules and receiving help from others within the election structure structure structure ture to bend the rules to their favor This year most if not all of the expense rules have been changed There Ther no longer is a cap on the candidates' candidates expenses i except for those of cash donations donations donations dona dona- and personal money Materials and services no longer have to be accounted for monetarily monetarily monetarily mone mone- only written down in a receipt register given to them by bythe bythe bythe the Election Committee This major change will indeed make it easier for the candidates to campaign because there is no longer any check on the help they receive from outside sources This may mean a larger number of posters and propaganda da distributed around the campuses campuses campuses cam cam- for students to experience In addition to the new election rules changes there are many new implied changes taking place within the ranks of students students students stu stu- stu- stu dents and administration These were made evident at the beginning beginning beginning begin begin- ning of the election process when the individuals announced their candidacy After stating their intentions to run four candidates representing at least one from every party were denied their chance to run The reasons were varied and allegedly ranged from lack of previous school experience ence to lack of leadership skills In the case of the and parties Presidential Candidates Trent Kemp and Carl were both denied their chance to run for office The denial was based upon the Student Constitution which states a candidate must have been enrolled during the previous ous semester of school here at a rule which neither nor Kemp met The two have both recently returned from missions and are now attending their first semester back said Pete Morgan called me and told me He suggested suggested suggested sug sug- I write an appeal After writing their appeals and sending them to the Election Committee both candidates were approved said he was approved because he had attended for two semesters before his mission mission mission mis mis- sion and had shown his leadership leadership leadership leader leader- ship skills by being involved in inthe inthe inthe the Student Senate during that time Kemp was not available for comment but there are rumors stating he had never previously previously previously pre pre- been enrolled at either before or after his mission The Victory party was plagued by troubles as well by having their Executive Vice Presidential Candidate Haydee Gomez and their Redwood Regional Vice Presidential Candidate Jodi Spencer denied their chance to run Spencer said I was called by Jill who said I was denied because I had not been here the previous semester and I Idid Idid Idid did not have any leadership experience Gomez was told nearly the exact same thing Spencer who has just graduated from high school has been enrolled at as a concurrent student for the last year and Gomez has spent the last semes semes- ter at a university in Spain They argue they have more recent school experience than the other two candidates who were also denied After writing their appeals to the Election Committee Spencer and Gomez were still denied According to Spencer they then appealed the decision to the Executive Council who again denied them based on the fact the two were not leaders The pair then appealed to the Dean of Student Relations Deneece Huftalin After a two and a half hour meeting Spencer and Gomez were again denied their chance to run for office The decision they said was based on their lack of college experience and Huftalin wanted to stick with the decision of the Executive Council Huftalin later reversed her decision and allowed the two from the Victory party to run Victory party Presidential Candidate Andres Rivero who was present at the meeting with Huftalin said he asked her why she had reversed her decision He said he was told it was because she had found out that the other parties had exceptions as well The campaigning has barely begun and there are already rumors of foul play Sources close to the elections have stated their concern over the apparent manipulation by faculty and administration Two of the three Presidential Candidates have said they were asked to run for office by the administration Already the elections se seem ll to have stepped in the mire of exceptions and rule bending However the task is still up to the voter to decide who the best individual candidates are and to vote accordingly C |