Archived: Apr 14, 2008

> Student Government News

Latest SA election violations dismissed

ASAP party still on ballot for spring election

By Isral DeBruin

“*The fact is, people are breaking the rules and people aren’t providing plausible explanations as to their behavior and it’s a clear violation of the bylaws.*”
IEC Commissioner Dan Bahr.

In a decision that saved the ASAP party from being taken off the student election ballot, Dan Bahr, independent elections commissioner, dismissed two recent election violations Thursday, which were brought against the party by incumbent members of SUFC.

So far, both parties have been assessed points for various early campaigning infractions. At press time, ASAP had 450 points and SUFC had 100. Any party assessed 500 points will be stricken from the ballot, in accordance with election rules.

Bahr said he’s trying to keep point assessments fair and lenient while following all election rules.

“I’m really trying hard with these point assessments to keep people on the ballot so we can have a competitive election, I really am,” Bahr said. “But the fact is, people are breaking the rules and people aren’t providing plausible explanations as to their behavior and it’s a clear violation of the bylaws.”

The first violation dismissed at Thursday’s meeting, No. 13, concerned an ASAP campaign banner hung in the UWM Union Concourse on the evening of Sunday, April 6. According to election rules, neither party was allowed to begin campaigning until Wednesday of last week.

The decision was made official in a hearing held in the Student Association (SA) office at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday.

In an interview before the meeting, Bahr explained that ASAP was not responsible for the premature hanging of the banner. After the complaint was filed, Bahr said he received a forwarded e-mail from Ginny Counselman, director of marketing services for the Union, claiming fault for the banner.

According to the e-mail from Counselman, marketing services had agreed to do a mid-week “special hanging” for ASAP, but hung the banner early by mistake. Bahr said after double-checking with the marketing services office, he was satisfied and decided to dismiss the violation.

The second violation discussed at the meeting, No. 14, was filed by SUFC member A.J. Piwarun. The violation alleged that ASAP vice presidential candidate Julio Guerrero was promoting ASAP at a table in the Union, prior to the April 10 start of campaigning.

Guerrero, a current WISPIRG intern, said he had been asked last-minute to help promote one of the organization’s recent campaigns. According to Bahr, the complaint stated that Guerrero was seen displaying ASAP materials on a laptop computer, with ASAP pamphlets on the table in front of him. Guerrero said that he did have a laptop in front of him, but there were no ASAP materials being shown on it, and that the pamphlets in front of him were for the WISPIRG campaign, not ASAP.

Lindsey LeFebre, a member of both ASAP and WISPIRG, spoke to Bahr on Guerrero’s behalf. LeFebre said she was the one who asked Guerrero to table for WISPIRG and she corroborated the fact that he wasn’t campaigning for ASAP at the time.

Bahr said that because there were no other witnesses or pieces of evidence to implicate Guerrero in this instance, he would dismiss this violation as well.

Because Bahr was a member of SUFC before being appointed IEC, his earlier decisions have drawn some criticism from members of ASAP and other outside observers. Bahr said since the IEC is chosen by the incumbent party, the position will always be prone to criticism. He said he believes, however, that he has fairly interpreted and enforced all election rules so far.

> Comments

Now and Then on Apr 14, 2008 at 01:40 PM:

Dan Bahr has been EXTREMELY fair and lenient in this election. If this was SUFC that he was allowing to get away with these violations, everyone would be up in arms. I would not be surprised if ASAP gets thrown out of the election. Rules are rules. If they cannot follow simple election rules, how are they going to be able to follow the SA Constitution and bylaws? The rules are in place to create a fair playing field. If you want to change the election rules, you had all year to do that...don't whine now!

Student government is not a joke and you need to elect competent people. They make very important decisions that WILL impact your life. Think twice before you vote.

Chris Walker on Apr 14, 2008 at 04:15 PM:

That's one opinion. If you ask me, Bahr has done a good job as IEC. However, I tend to be a bit skeptical anytime any government official is appointed to an independent position, especially when that official has been a prominent member of a particular political party.

I truly believe that Bahr is trying his best to ensure we have a fair election this year. But to assume that some wouldn't question his motives is a naive notion, one that even Bahr noted ("Bahr said since the IEC is chosen by the incumbent party, the position will always be prone to criticism").

Election reform would change this. :) But then that's me trying to promote my article in the Editorial section this week...SHAMELESS PLUG! SHAMELESS PLUG! :-p

Jim Bob on Apr 15, 2008 at 05:46 AM:

Bahr easily has the hardest job in all of this.

I wonder if the ASAP party wins, will students be up in arms when they break a bunch of rules that end up costing us more money? SUFC broke rules that saved us money...

Jon Tingley on Apr 16, 2008 at 09:55 AM:

Isn't it against the bylaws to appoint the speaker of the senate to the INDEPENDENT Election Commissioner position? or were those changed to suit SUFC's agenda? The money and service SUFC has costed students greatly outweighs any questionable rules ASAP has broken. SUFC knows that students are up in arms and are doing anything they can to rig this election. Maybe Bahr is trying to be fair. It doesn't matter, he is still friends with SUFC members, has been in political parties with these people for years, and most likely still holds allegiances with these people. There is no way in hell people would stand for this in any other level of government, so why are the students at UWM standing for it? Yes, the IEC is chosen by the incumbent party, but that person is supposed to be a completely independent person who has never been a part of either political party before and has no significant ties to a member of any party. It's not hard to find someone willing to do this, but SUFC chose to put a person in the position who would guarantee them victory. This election is absolutely asinine. To respond to "Now and Then," SUFC has made student government a joke. Wisconsin used to be looked at as a progressive state for student governance (one of the only states that lets its students allocate money for student services) and SUFC has given people who want to take our power away a very good reason for doing so. I agree think twice before you vote, elect competent people, not people who would sooner use your money to travel to New York instead of maintaining a quality student experience.

Tingley out.

Re: John Tingley on Apr 16, 2008 at 09:58 AM:

I seem to remember you going on a trip to Oregon with UC that cost the students at UWM over a grand---let's not point fingers Tingley!!!!!! Your hotel room and airplane ticket expenses were ABSOLUTELY RIDICULUOUS. Let's open records request that information...I bet you would all be a bit surprised!

$ly$py on Apr 16, 2008 at 03:34 PM:

Well, you maybe surprised to find out that myself (and a few nameless others) are running for senator positions in SUFC...but we support ASAP ideals and plan to uphold them!

From the $ly$py

Give Me a Break $ly$py on Apr 16, 2008 at 04:00 PM:

If you are running with SUFC you are just like them. Is this your way to say things will get better if SUFC wins? Students are not stupid and will see through this feeble-minded SUFC attempt to win over the ASAP followers. Vote independent so we can remove SUFC! You can't trust any one associated with SUFC. Can we get an article on the recall elections, just in case? Oops! Or did SUFC make that illegal also?

$ly$py on Apr 16, 2008 at 04:26 PM:

I tend to disagree with that statement. But rest assured that i stand by my previous comment. Anyways, I am not trying to win anyone over. If ASAP is not on the ballot they will not win. People at UWM who are not associated with SA do not care about it enough to vote independent. They will just vote SUFC.

$ly$py

@$ly$py on Apr 16, 2008 at 04:46 PM:

If you hold ASAP values why would you support SUFC? HELLO!!!

Bill Clinton on Apr 16, 2008 at 05:27 PM:

I blame George W. Bush for getting ASAP kick out of the election.

SUFC or Students United For Corruption on Apr 16, 2008 at 10:21 PM:

I blame SUFC for staging a campaign violation to get ASAP kicked off the ballot and Dan Bahr for doing whatever he needs to keep his SUFC friends in office. UWM students aren't stupid. SUFC must be completely full of themselves to think students want them to continue to represent them and go on lavish vacations.

Tingley a Fake on Apr 17, 2008 at 05:13 PM:

My name says it all. The support a party that is so "real" why are you so fake?

Orange Crush on Apr 17, 2008 at 08:34 PM:

I heard Dan Bahr got served. The penalty of being bitch made... lol.

SUFC Rocks!!! on Apr 18, 2008 at 08:18 AM:

The last thing we need is a dirty spic as VP.

VOTE SUFC!!!!

SUFC Supporter on Apr 18, 2008 at 08:56 AM:

SUFC ROCKS- I am and will continue to be an SUFC supporter because I know that the remaining people in the party are far more competent than you AND the entire ASAP party. You make everyone look back by posting something like that.

But, I do realize that this forum is COMPLETELY ridiculuous, and I would not put it past ASAP to post that on their so everyone will feel sorry for them and they actually have a reason to have the ACLU involved.

ACLU = JOKE

SUFC's True Colors on Apr 18, 2008 at 11:59 AM:

I am sickened by the comment above. I hope we don't have a racist on SUFC. SUFC has enough flaws. Your comment is hateful and disgusting. So much for representing all students. Mainstream - Who are you kidding SUFC!

Don't Pass Judgment on this Forum on Apr 18, 2008 at 12:08 PM:

Everyone should know that ANYONE can post ANYTHING on this forum. It is a 50-50 shot at whether or not a real SUFC member posted that.

Chris Walker on Apr 18, 2008 at 02:52 PM:

I'm curious to hear exactly why some feel the ACLU is a joke. I'm a card-carrying member of the ACLU because I feel that the organization is a strong advocate of our civil liberties, whether we be conservative, liberal, libertarian, socialist, etc. If you want to discuss this in private, you can email me about this, but I think it'd be best to have an open discussion about your disdain for the organization.

I guess I'm just curious why you dislike them. That's all. :-p

Re: Chris Walker on Apr 18, 2008 at 03:24 PM:

You don't have to be a genious to guess that you are a card-carying member of the ACLU.....hahahahahaha

broski on Apr 18, 2008 at 07:04 PM:

You don't have to be a genius to know how to spell the word genius.

the 'other 'students on Apr 18, 2008 at 08:13 PM:

Seriously, aren't the POST and the SA offices right next to each other in the Union? Knock a hole in the wall and just yell at each other. The constant accusations from both sides make the rest of us not care.