After criticism that the student government candidates debate Tuesday night was too structured and didn’t allow enough audience questions, ASUO presidential candidates Todd Mann and Jared Axelrod again battled for student votes in the EMU Amphitheater in an impromptu-style debate Wednesday.
Only 30 votes separated the two candidates as of 2:20 p.m. Wednesday.With a swarm of students surrounding the stage, Mann and Axelrod continued their attacks on each other’s campaign tactics.
Mann continued to call Axelrod’s slate campaign “undemocratic,” and Axelrod called Mann a hypocrite for saying that it’s wrong and undemocratic “to vote down a list” when Mann said “we have a list of independent candidates on our Web site.”
“You say, ‘Don’t vote down the list,’ but you have a list right there,” Axelrod said, adding that his slate comprises many ideologies and belief systems.
“I’m glad to know that you’re qualified to choose who should be in the ASUO, but I think the voters should decide,” Mann said.
One student asked what the recent grievances against each ticket will mean if they get into the Executive office, considering “the way you campaign is the way you’ll govern.”
A grievance was filed against Mann alleging that he reserved a room in the residence halls in violation of elections rules that state that candidates can only reserve rooms for campaign events that all candidates can reserve. The grievance alleged that Mann, president of the Residence Hall Association, had an unfair advantage in reserving the room.
Mann said that the residence hall room he reserved in Carson is open to anyone who lives there, so the Elections Board will throw out the first grievance filed against him.
A grievance alleging that Mann’s campaign broke University policy by selling campaign T-shirts in the residence halls is equally ridiculous, Mann said. He said he had volunteers bring a penny when they picked up their shirts and that it wasn’t soliciting. Elections rules forbid candidates from giving away T-shirts, so they often sell them for a penny.
University rules state that “commercial solicitation, advertising, promotion, and commercial transactions are prohibited in all areas.”
According to a campaign paper filed with the Elections Board, Mann brought in $27.29 in T-shirt sales for his campaign.
A grievance was filed against Axelrod and his vice presidential running-mate Juliana Guzman last week because their campaign volunteers allegedly went door to door in the residence halls without a resident escort.
Axelrod said they had a resident escort.
“As you can see, the Elections Board dismissed it,” he said.
Mann stood behind his “fiscally responsible” platform by pointing out that he and vice presidential running-mate Jontae Grace had spent $463 less on their campaign than Axelrod and Guzman. Mann said he “worked very hard to earn $300” for his campaign.
Axelrod called his efforts to get campaign contributions a result of “grassroots fundraising.”
Also at the debate, the candidates talked about their favorite coffees and the songs best representing their campaigns. Mann prefers Starbucks, while Axelrod prefers Espresso Roma. They decided that Mann’s campaign is best represented by “My girl,” by The Temptations. Axelrod’s campaign is best represented by “Hips don’t lie,” by Shakira.
General elections voting ends at 5 p.m. on Friday.
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