[1157] in Discussion of MIT-community interests
Re: ticket decision (fwd)
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Rhett Creighton)
Thu Mar 14 02:50:01 2002
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Message-ID: <Pine.LNX.4.33.0203140227110.16619-100000@sub-zero.mit.edu>
Date: Thu, 14 Mar 2002 02:29:21 -0500
From: Rhett Creighton <rhett@MIT.EDU>
To: MIT-Talk@MIT.EDU
In-Reply-To: <Pine.OSF.4.40.0203140212460.10075-100000@ml.media.mit.edu>
This raises an excellent point. Although Victor and I are appealing the
decision made against us. I urge everyone who voted to appeal the
decision made against YOU.
All that you have to do is e-mail <ua-judboard@mit.edu> and tell them that
you want your vote heard.
Hi ho!
Rhett
On Thu, 14 Mar 2002, B. Yuksel wrote:
>
> I thought this country is the cradle of democracy.
>
> I thought when there is voting, my vote counts. I think throwing
> away my vote is a discrimination againt me as a student, against
> my rights at MIT as an undergrad.
>
>
> Who is the highest committee I can appeal against this decision
> of Election Committee?
>
> baris
>
>
>
>
>
>
> > ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> > Date: Thu, 14 Mar 2002 01:41:51 -0500
> > From: Helen Lee <helenlee@MIT.EDU>
> > To: rhett@sub-zero.MIT.EDU, vbrar@MIT.EDU
> > Cc: ua-elect@MIT.EDU, ua-candidates@MIT.EDU, ua-all@MIT.EDU,
> > ua-announce@MIT.EDU, ua-judboard@MIT.EDU, mit-talk@MIT.EDU,
> > mit-tech@MIT.EDU, ec-discuss@MIT.EDU
> > Subject: Creighton/Brar ticket decision
> >
> > Hello everyone,
> >
> > There has been a lot of controversy about the UAP/UAVP elections this
> > year. As the UA Election Commissioner, I'd like to share some
> > clarifications as well as new information.
> >
> > The Election Commission has reviewed Dan Liston's communications to the
> > public and to Rhett and feels that they were inappropriate. I asked Dan to
> > resign from the Rules Board, and have recommended that Swapna Panuganti replace
> > him as Chair of the Rules Board.
> >
> > We have also reviewed the issue at hand - the Creighton/Brar ticket
> > offering $10 to each person that places them first on the ballot. After
> > much discussion (which was not, alas, reflected in Dan's emails) the
> > Election Commission and Rules Board have come to a consensus that offering
> > bribes to students that vote for them is unethical and against the spirit
> > of the election rules and the UA Constitution. Regardless of where they
> > would obtain the money, they are using money to pay for votes all the same.
> >
> > As has been pointed out, there is no specific rule in the Election Code or
> > Campaign Rules that says that offering voters money for their vote is a
> > violation. Apparently at least this basic rule that should have been there
> > was neglected. However, the rules are only the minimal explicit set of
> > rules to guide the Commission and Rules Board and say so explicitly. When
> > we make decisions we are supposed to consider the spirit of the elections
> > as well as the published rules.
> >
> > The Commission and Rules Board believes that our central purpose is to
> > maintain the integrity of the election and the campaign. Allowing
> > candidates to offer bribes to voters seriously compromises this integrity
> > and is also obviously contrary to basic democratic principles.
> >
> > The decision of the Election Commission and Rules Board is that the
> > Creighton/Brar ticket, because of their public offers to bribe students for
> > their votes, are disqualified from the election. All votes for them will
> > be awarded to the next preferences chosen on each ballot.
> >
> > We have no official opinion on the appropriateness of using the Bush fund
> > for this or any other purpose.
> >
> > We have no official opinion on the appropriateness of promising a certain
> > amount of money to every undergraduate (a 'refund') regardless of how he or
> > she votes.
> >
> > I encourage everyone to think about this issue seriously and thank those
> > that have been doing so. I realize that we have made mistakes but we are
> > doing our best to remedy them.
> >
> > To Rhett and Victor - I know that the decision above is not stated in
> > official terms with citations and such. I apologize - I do not have
> > experience in writing such statements - but we felt it was important to
> > distribute this information quickly and clearly. If you would like to
> > appeal this decision, as I anticipate you will, please email the UA
> > Judicial Review Board (ua-judboard@mit.edu) with the details of your appeal.
> >
> > To everybody - if you would like to discuss previous emails from the
> > Election Commission or Rules Board, or this email, I urge you to speak to
> > me personally. My phone number is 617.256.8121 and I will be in the UA
> > office from 2:30-4pm tomorrow (Thursday). If neither of those works for
> > you, please email me and we can arrange a time to talk.
> >
> > Sincerely,
> >
> > Helen Lee
> > UA Election Commissioner
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
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