For those who haven’t kept up with the soap opera that is Student Government elections, here’s a quick rundown of what’s happened.
T Graham S. Howell lost the presidential election by more than 1,000 votes. John Woodard was disqualified for overspending his campaign budget, and the turning in of his financial documents 30 minutes late was also called into question. The University Court waived what would have been Woodard’s disqualification over turning in the documents late because Commissioner of Elections Aimeé Simon granted him an extension.
Two days later, the UCourt upheld Woodard’s overspending disqualification. The next day, after Woodard filed a complaint, the UCourt overturned the disqualification and reinstated all members of the Unite LSU ticket. Howell’s campaign ticket then filed a complaint to reopen the disqualification. Finally, on Wednesday night, after one-sided evidence presented by the solicitor general, all nine UCourt justices decided the only fair way to settle this mess was to start from scratch and hold a second general election.
Wait. What? UCourt can just call another SG election?
Apparently it can. And UCourt even has the power to set all the rules in this special election, as none are defined in the governing documents.
According to the SG Rules of Court, decisions made by the UCourt are final. The UCourt already ruled in Woodard’s favor. It should be over by now.
The UCourt’s call for a second election counters its own guidelines. If the UCourt can’t even keep itself in line, then what will hold this crumbling organization together?
This showing is a poor excuse for democracy. This is not how real-world campaigns and elections operate. A decision deemed final should be just that. Evidence showing a candidate partying the night before financial forms are due and some likely fishy financial documents is not sufficient grounds for a new election.
If President Barack Obama violated some sort of election rule in his campaigning, he would receive a one-time penalty or fine. He would never be disqualified from the election, and a second election definitely wouldn’t happen.
If SG wants to be taken seriously and seen as a legitimate college-level form of government, its members and people running for office should try to mirror what happens in the real democratic process.
UCourt is setting a dangerous precedent by holding a second election after what proceeded over the past week. It’s made a mockery of SG and a joke of the democratic system the organization supposedly represents. This move basically says that if the going gets too tough, we can just start all over again.
Calling for a second election invites mayhem for future elections and severely devalues the election process.
What happens if Woodard loses? He won by a 20 percent margin a week ago. Can he complain until there’s another new election? This situation seems to invite opportunity for endless tail-chasing.
Only two tickets ran this time. What happens if there are more next year? The multiple disqualifications, hearings, complaints and backpedaling between just two candidates this season are a frightening foreshadow of future elections. Imagine the chaos that could ensue with more people involved.
This election cycle’s madness should prompt SG’s judicial branch to re-evaluate its operations if it wants to be seen as anything other than the butt of a joke.
So, students, here’s your opportunity to actually sound your voice. Because you were distracted by one campaign’s allegedly too-fancy banners and too-colorful T-shirts the first time around, you’ve got another chance. You can now vote for the candidate who you want to represent you — since you clearly didn’t do that when you cast your initial vote.
Log on to myLSU on Monday. Vote for who you think will best serve you. Amid this ridiculousness, you finally have the final say. Take advantage of it.
