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News

Senate discusses election, Web site

Candidates voice complaints about voting deadline

by JEB SCHNEIDER
The Daily Cougar

Student Government Association candidates expressed concern about voting deadlines Wednesday during a meeting in the University Center Bluebonnet Room.

In the wake of Cougar 1Card problems, Chief Election Commissioner Glory Ngwolo said the commission would extend the voting period until 2 p.m. Friday to allow more students to cast ballots.

Student Regent Carlos Machado and SGA President David Williams discussed the SGA Web site. The association has not had a working site for at least six months.

"We had our Web designer quit and the next one only lasted a few days," Machado said. "We are hoping to have the Web site up and running in the next few months."

The SGA Web site was hacked in December and had obscenities on it, Williams said. 

"We were trying to get the University to take the site down (and) because of that … it crashed," he said.

SGA officials complimented the senators and the Election Commission on their hard working during the general election.

"It is a show of good faith and an overabundance of integrity that the SGA voted to extend the election filing deadline without real justification," Sen. David Rosen said.

College of Liberal Arts and Social Science Seat 6 candidate Brady Alland said the SGA lacked integrity, and because many of his supporters had been unable to vote during Wednesday's election period, it left the impression that this was a deliberate effort to exclude non-UH4U candidates.

"Something's wrong. Whether I win or not, make these issues a priority in the future. There is widespread fear on this campus -- security fears, fear of voter fraud and fear of erroneous votes being cast," Alland said.

"I urge this body to extend the election to Monday so that students can have two-full days to vote as required by the Election Code," Alland said.

Rosen proposed that a task force, headed by Williams, be established after the election to examine complaints about the SGA and violations made during the general election process.

CLASS Seat 6 candidate Brandon Brewton submitted a written letter urging the Election Commission to extend the election.

"It is my hope that the integrity of the voting process (will) be upheld," Brewton said in his written statement. "(The SGA) should also let the student body know that this election is fair and honest … in hopes of preserving the integrity of the SGA's election process."

In other business, Williams said there is still time left in the semester for SGA Vice President Francisco Zelaya to pass legislation concerning University textbook policy.

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