2008 Woodie Awards
Election Meeting Derailed
LaGina Phillips
Issue date: 5/4/05 Section: News
The announcement of the new Associated Student Union president has been delayed for the second time in two weeks, and Valley College students will have to wait a little longer for some answers.
Last week's presidential election results were postponed due to complaints filed by presidential candidates against their opponents. Some complaints included claims that candidates and their supporters violated election rules by campaigning in restricted areas during the voting process and that another candidate posted too many campaign signs on campus.
The complaints will send ASU adviser Sherri Rodriguez and other members of the election committee to a closed-door meeting to sort through the mess. Rodriguez denied the Valley Star's request for the written complaints. Rodriguez also said the meeting will be closed to the press and to Valley students, citing ASU election rules, an apparent violation of the Ralph Brown Act. The Brown Act states that topics for closed session meetings include real property negotiations, pending litigation, personnel and threat to public safety and labor negotiations.
The closed-door meeting had originally been scheduled for today, but was postponed because the ASU didn't give the 24-hour notice the Brown Act requires for special meetings.
"My biggest concern is that the election committee consists of either biased people or people who I don't think have their own independent thinking," said Nelli Martirosyan, one of the four presidential candidates who filed a complaint. " I have no worries about the committee's decision though, because to me, it's not final."
"They should do the whole election over again, so they know the other positions weren't tainted," said 18-year-old Valley student James Matthews. "[A new election would be] reassurance for the voters."
The winner for each office except president was announced April 26. The four presidential candidates waiting on the election committee's decision include Adam Park, Olivia Njuki, current ASU commissioner of Theresa Chavez and Martirosyan, the current inter-club council representative.
Last week's presidential election results were postponed due to complaints filed by presidential candidates against their opponents. Some complaints included claims that candidates and their supporters violated election rules by campaigning in restricted areas during the voting process and that another candidate posted too many campaign signs on campus.
The complaints will send ASU adviser Sherri Rodriguez and other members of the election committee to a closed-door meeting to sort through the mess. Rodriguez denied the Valley Star's request for the written complaints. Rodriguez also said the meeting will be closed to the press and to Valley students, citing ASU election rules, an apparent violation of the Ralph Brown Act. The Brown Act states that topics for closed session meetings include real property negotiations, pending litigation, personnel and threat to public safety and labor negotiations.
The closed-door meeting had originally been scheduled for today, but was postponed because the ASU didn't give the 24-hour notice the Brown Act requires for special meetings.
"My biggest concern is that the election committee consists of either biased people or people who I don't think have their own independent thinking," said Nelli Martirosyan, one of the four presidential candidates who filed a complaint. " I have no worries about the committee's decision though, because to me, it's not final."
"They should do the whole election over again, so they know the other positions weren't tainted," said 18-year-old Valley student James Matthews. "[A new election would be] reassurance for the voters."
The winner for each office except president was announced April 26. The four presidential candidates waiting on the election committee's decision include Adam Park, Olivia Njuki, current ASU commissioner of Theresa Chavez and Martirosyan, the current inter-club council representative.
