The Kruszewski-Dunbar ticket will be required to forfeit 10 percent of their vote–share in the student government presidential election after the Election Committee of the Judicial Council found the candidates violated the Student Union Constitution, according to a Judicial Council press release.
Kruszewski-Dunbar, the press release said, violated Sections 17.1(g) and 17.1(h) of the Student Union Constitution by engaging in “unethical behavior and [instructing] others to engage in unethical behavior by means of text messages.”
According to the release, Section 17.1(g) states that “Candidates may not be involved in or instruct others to engage in any unethical behavior as detailed in 17.1(h),” which gives examples of unethical behavior including “monopolization of limited bulletin board space, covering or defaming of any other candidates’ posters, insulting or defaming other candidates and harassment or misconduct toward any election officials.”
Section 17.1(h) also states that “Candidates are expected to behave ethically at all times” and that “Unethical behavior will be penalized by the Election Committee of Judicial Council,” the press release said.
According to the release, the Election Committee found a forfeiture of 10 percent of the votes the Kruszewski-Dunbar ticket receives to be “an appropriate sanction.” Should the election result in a runoff, the penalty will also apply in the second round of the election. The release said the committee “used support from past precedent” to come to this decision.
In compliance with Section 17.1(m)(5) of the Student Union Constitution, the press release said, “Judicial Council will not release the election results while there are pending allegations and appeals.”
The Kruszewski-Dunbar ticket did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
