The Texas Tech University Student Government Association election results are on-hold pending approval from the Student Senate — as well as a hearing discussing grievances filed by candidate blocks.
The Election Commission will be holding a hearing at 9 p.m. Sunday, March 3, with “Raiders United,” “Bridge the Gap,” and “Raiders’ Voice” representatives to discuss allegations of misconduct during the election.
Anonymous sources within S.G.A. hint to egregious breaches in the election code, and one SGA veteran said s/he was “disgusted with how this has all turned out” and will be hoping that the commission “finally punishes this type of behavior.”
The election was announced at 5 p.m. Friday in the SUB courtyard by Election Commission Chairman Bradley Schniers. “Raiders United” swept the executive election, naming Luke Cotton, Jill Berger, Logan Dickenson, and “Bridge the Gap’s” Daniel Yates as the next executives of the association. Yates’s position was uncontested.
A Senate veteran commented that this year’s election dispute is hardly a new thing, describing the past two elections and the grievances that came along with them. S/he explained how light the commission’s punishments have been in similar cases over the past number of years, though s/he admitted that the evidence in those cases wasn’t as strong as it should have been for the allegations.
Sources within SGA suggest that the evidence in these cases will be much stronger. The Election Commission denied access to documents related to the hearing, claiming it is all protected under the Family Education Rights Protection Act (FERPA), the same legislation that keeps students’ grades and personal information private.
The “Bridge the Gap” campaign released this official statement at 12:30 p.m. today.
We, the campaign team for Stovall, Weeks, Craig, and Yates, are currently raising awareness for violations committed by the Raiders United: Cotton, Dickenson, and Berger campaign. Our desire through the election has been to run an honest, rule-abiding campaign and we believe that the students deserve the truth behind the scandalous and negligent efforts of Raiders United: Cotton, Dickenson, and Berger. The hearing to review these allegations will be held on Sunday and the results of the election will remain unofficial until the Senate gives its approval.
We encourage all students to attend the hearing Sunday, March 3rd, at 9 pm in the Senate Room of the SUB to hear the case and be informed. As students at this great university, we want honorable leadership representing us and we believe that Raiders United: Cotton, Dickenson, and Berger have violated the rules and maliciously mislead the students of Texas Tech University.
The “Raiders’ Voice” campaign released this official statement at 4 p.m. today.
Unfortunately, the elections for Student Govenment at Texas Tech were surrounded by questionable acts from some candidates. The election code has been broken in multiple sections and it is fair and for the benefit of the Student Government to have the election commission judge these actions. It would be devastating for Texas Tech to have dishonesty in our representatives.
If the candidates that have been put in question are certain of their fairness in their campaign and election process, they have nothing to be worried about, and the school will get the representatives they chose. If they broke the rules and were dishonest to achieve their goals, then pertinent sanctions should take place. I am confident that the process is fair, and certain that justice –regardless of who it favours– will subcist.
“Raiders United” responded with a statement, targeted at what can only be assumed to be some of the points to be brought up in the hearing.
We were endorsed by the University Fountains and the email is not considered spamming. Also, the stickers were for people who had already voted and wanted to show support, it is sad to think anyone would be enticed to vote for one team over another for a sticker of all things.
All in all these accusations are petty, we, Raider’s United, spent the two days of voting going out and educating students on why they should vote, not on thinking of ways to get the other teams in trouble. We went out and explained how important it is that their voice be heard on the two survey questions. We look forward to refocusing on taking office with a smooth transition after these hearings conclude.
The hearing will be held at 9 p.m. Sunday in the Senate Room of the Student Union Building. The commission is expected to render a judgement and opinion that night, and if it is not to the parties’ satisfaction, the next step is to appeal to the Student Supreme Court, chaired by new Chief Justice Layne Rollo.
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