The Student Government election board voted unanimously last night that Colorado Robertson did not break the election code and is not disqualified from running in the upcoming spring SG election.
Crawford Leavoy, SG co-director of minority affairs, filed a complaint against Robertson accusing him of active campaigning — announcing candidacy in a public forum. But the election board ruled last night that the meeting where Robertson said he would run and encouraged others to run was not a public forum.
Robertson admitted to the election board that at an Agricultural Student Association meeting on Jan. 27 he said, “I am running for ACC president and encourage all of you to get involved also. Join a ticket or run on your own.”
There are no official minutes from the ASA meeting.
According to the election code, candidates are not supposed to begin active campaigning until March 2 at 4:30 p.m.
Leavoy was not at the ASA meeting, but he said Robertson actively campaigned when he told those attending the meeting he would run.
Leavoy argued that Robertson “tainted a portion of the voting pool.”
But Leavoy’s only witness, Karli Mizell, a member of the ASA, admitted when questioned by Robertson that her potential vote was not tainted.
Emily LeBlanc, a member of the board, said the board decided the ASA meeting was not public because only voting members are allowed to speak without permission at ASA meetings.
“Our job is to uphold the election code as best we can,” LeBlanc said.
Ralph Johnson, who defended Robertson before the election board, said he was pleased with the board’s decision.
“[ The ASA meeting] was not a public forum, and the 5-0 decision indicated that,” Johnson said.
Leavoy said he is considering appealing the board’s decision.
“We are seeing if an appeal is necessary,” he said.
Before the election board considered the complaint against Robertson, they considered a separate complaint from Robertson against Leavoy.
Robertson argued that Leavoy broke the election code by filing his complaint too late.
Robertson said Leavoy should have submitted the complaint within two class days of the alleged violation by 4:30 p.m. — an election code requirement.
Leavoy said he filed the formal complaint on time — but only with the election board and not to Robertson.
Robertson said Leavoy should have also filed the complaint to him at the same time, but Leavoy argued the election code is vague on whether he had to do that.
The board decided unanimously that the election code is vague, and that Leavoy did not violate it.