By Michael Kennedy
****UPDATE****
The Supreme Court has deducted 13.4 from OJ Oleka, bringing his vote total to 39.99 percent, and forcing a run-off with Kirk Laughlin. After deductions, Oleka received 264 more votes than Laughlin.
The runoff election will be March 10-11 on ULink.
****
OJ Oleka appears to have won the SGA Presidency by 268 votes, but he isn’t celebrating yet.
Ahmed Awadallah, a presidential candidate, has filed a case with the Supreme Court, charging that Oleka, Kirk Laughlin (also a presidential candidate) and Sam Jones violated SGA election rules by sending out e-mails over non-voluntary listservs.
Supreme Court Chief Justice Tim Brauch summarized the case: “People sent emails over listservs that they were not allowed to send e-mails over. Basically the Court has to decide, make their best determination of how many people were influenced by this action, and make amends based on that.”
“This is one of the most important election rules,” Awadallah said. “Pretty much the heart of election rules is the rule that you cannot campaign on non-voluntary listservs.”
According to Brauch, candidates found guilty face three possible punishments: community service, vote docking or disqualification.
Although Oleka won 40.47 percent of the vote, to Laughlin’s 30.94 and Awadallah’s 28.59, election rules require candidates receiving less than 40 percent of votes face a run-off election with second place. If the Supreme Court finds Oleka guilty and docks votes, his total may drop below 40 percent.
The Supreme Court will hear the case tonight in the Campus Preview Room in the SAB Suite at 7:30.
