Although the ASUO election has wound down, and today is the final day to vote, the election is still rife with controversy, as issues of unfairness and unethical practices have raised concerns in the campus community.

Specific grumbles about the election that have come to the fore recently include concerns about student leaders publicly endorsing candidates using their official titles; improper use of a University listserv by an Athletic Department staff member in endorsing an ASUO Executive ticket; and a grievance filed by candidates Adrian Gilmore, Colin Andries and Joe Jenkins.
ASUO Elections Coordinator Andrea Hall said the first two incidents could trigger the filing of grievances because they are violations of a rule prohibiting the use of student incidental fees to endorse a particular candidate. The Associated Students Presidential Advisory Council also has expressed concern about these incidents.
Hall said Gabe Kjos’ and Brenda Tincher’s use of their official titles — Residence Hall Association vice president and ASUO Student Senate Seat 6, respectively — in letters to the editor published in the Emerald violated this rule because their student government titles and positions are funded by the incidental fee.
“By placing their title underneath (their letters) and not specifying it was for identification purposes — there was a lot of concern over that,” Hall said.
ASUO President Rachel Pilliod, who is also a member of ASPAC, said she is looking into the legalities of using titles to endorse candidates because there is a lot of gray area regarding whether such a use is assumed to be for point of reference only, or if it must be specifically stated the title is for identification purposes.
Kjos said he attached his title to his letter to identify himself and did not mean to imply that he was representing the opinions of the RHA. The Emerald was unable to reach Tincher for comment at press time.
An Athletic Department staff member sent an e-mail on a University listserv endorsing Executive candidates Christa Shively and Greg Bae, and state funds — including University equipment and staff salaries — may not be used to endorse candidates or lobby for partisan causes. But Hall said she talked with the Athletic Department staff member who sent the e-mail and asked her to send a retraction, which she immediately did. Hall said this incident raised serious concerns among members of the campus community involved in elections.
“There was something seriously wrong with it because the ASUO buys athletic tickets,” she said.
Executive candidates Maddy Melton and Eddy Morales said they are not going to file a grievance against their opponents.
“We understand the people involved are not closely involved in the elections process,” Melton said. “But it’s unfortunate that we didn’t have equal access to the listserv.”
Andries, Gilmore and Jenkins, law students running for different positions in the election, filed a grievance with the ASUO Constitution Court against the Elections Board, requesting relief from the general election dates. The three candidates alleged the election takes place during the law school’s Dead Week, violating a rule in the ASUO Constitution. The court’s official opinion, however, was that the law school doesn’t technically schedule a Dead Week, and it dismissed the grievance.
“It was impossible for us to rule any other way,” Justice Michael Harris said. “There was no constitutional problem.”
Despite the controversies, Hall said she thought it unlikely that more grievances would be filed, as the election ends today.