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Grievances were filed against Sara Hamilton’s presidential campaign regarding poster and T-shirt violations on Monday.
Student Senate President and executive candidate Sara Hamilton said Monday that two grievances filed against her and running mate Athan Papailiou are nothing more than politically motivated attacks that distract students from the real issues in the ASUO campaign.
The first grievance was filed by Jennifer Lleras, campaign manager for Emily McLain and Chii-San SunOwen’s race for the Executive office. A supporter of Hamilton and Papailiou filed a grievance against McLain and SunOwen this weekend.
Lleras’ grievance alleges that Hamilton and Papailiou illegally placed posters in common areas of the Living Learning Center during week nine of winter term.
“I went to the Living Learning Center Residence Hall and saw several signs posted in hall windows and throughout the hall in areas where posters are not promoted,” the grievance reads. “I did not enter the Living Learning Center but saw the signs illegally posted from outside and spoke with a passing resident who also witnessed this violation.”
The grievance cites election rule 6.2, which states that all campaigns must adhere to housing rules. The grievance goes on to claim that candidate posters are not allowed on public windows or doors within the residence halls.
Lleras told the Emerald the posters were clearly posted in a hallway and did not appear to be approved by housing staff because they were not stamped as approved. She said she filed the grievance because the aspect of visibility within the dorms influences a large number of voters.
“We believe that it is in the best interests of a fair and clean election that all candidates have equal access and follow the rules,” she said.
Hamilton asserted she did not know who put up the posters or how they got there, and that they were taken down within the same day.
Lleras’ grievance requests that Hamilton and Papailiou have their posters taken down for two days during the primary election and that Hamilton and Papailiou write a letter of apology to the Residence Hall Association and the staff of the Living Learning Center.
The second grievance, filed by ASUO Outreach Coordinator Mike Filippelli, says that Hamilton violated elections rules by wearing her campaign T-shirt inside the ASUO office. A sign clearly posted on the ASUO office door declares it to be a “campaign free zone.”
Filippelli, a volunteer for the McLain-SunOwen campaign, said that Hamilton entered the ASUO office wearing her campaign T-shirt and after being told it was not allowed, turned it inside out, leaving the distinct color of the shirt visible.
He said that when students see people campaigning on the street, they will come to associate the colored T-shirts with specific campaigns.
The grievance alleges that Hamilton’s wearing the shirt inside the office violated election rule 6.15, which states “No campaigning in support or in opposition to a candidate or ballot measure is permitted in the ASUO Executive Office, including the use of mailboxes.”
It also alleges a violation of rule 6.12, which ensures fair and equal access to University facilities and resources. The grievance states Hamilton violated this rule because not every candidate has access to the ASUO office.
Filippelli requests that as a punishment, Hamilton and Papailiou be banned from wearing their T-shirts to “fee-funded group events/meetings” for two days and that they write a letter of apology to the ASUO Executive and all other candidates.
Hamilton said she wore the shirt for only a few minutes and left as soon as Elections Coordinator Dante Vivanco told her she could not wear it even though it was inside out.
“These are politically motivated technicalities,” she said. “I would get back to the issues that affect campus.”
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