A UOSA presidential candidate is asking UOSA Superior Court for a run-off election.
Jess Eddy claims that the announced winner, Ally Glavas, did not receive a majority of the ballots, as required in the UOSA constitution.
The election used the Meeks voting system in which voters rank the candidates. The system eliminates the candidate who receives the least number of votes and then adds the voters’ second choice to the remaining candidates’ totals. Iterations of this system were used until only two candidates remained and Glavas received a majority vote.
At a meeting March 5, all of the candidates agreed to use a ranking system instead of a run-off election, said Jeff Riles, election chairman.
Eddy said his complaint stems from two main points: That Glavas did not receive a majority off all votes cast and that voters did not understand the ranking method.
Out of 5,282 total ballots cast, 2,246 voters chose Glavas as their first choice. This means 43 percent of voters voted for Glavas as their first choice. UOSA election rules require that the president receive a majority of ballots cast.
In the final iteration of the electronic run-off system, after a voter’s second or third choices were added to the remaining candidates’ totals, Glavas received 2,544 votes and Franz Zenteno received 2,281 votes.
Riles said 457 ballots were not counted in this iteration because these voters did not rank all of the candidates to the third choice.
This means that even with voters’ second and third choices added to Glavas’s total, she only received 48 percent of the total ballots cast.
Riles said Glavas received a majority because she received 53 percent of ballots still present in the final iteration, which did not include 457 ballots.
In the past, the election Web site included a notice at the top explaining to voters that they could rank their selections from first to last choice, Eddy said.
Riles said he did not know whether past elections included instructions to rank all of the candidates.
“The reason there were no instructions is because we felt if we told people they had to rank all four candidates, then we would be forcing them to make a vote that they didn’t have to,” Riles said.
Thalia Nguyen, University College freshman, said she only voted for one candidate because she didn’t know she could rank them.
“On the Web site it didn’t explain anything about it,” Nguyen said. “I was pretty angry [when I found out] because I’m not the only one who didn’t know that.”
Failing to explain the ranking system is a violation of voters’ rights, Eddy said.
Eddy, who received the least votes of the four candidates, said he doesn’t want to give himself another chance, but wants to make sure that all votes are counted.
He said there should be a run-off election between Glavas and Zenteno.
“I want to see a free and fair election where all the ballots are included in the percentage and, as a concerned student, if no candidate receives a majority vote I want to see a run-off,” Eddy said.
Glavas said she respected Eddy’s right to file a complaint but hopes the court makes a decision by next week so she may begin working in an official capacity. She declined any further comment before she talks with legal counsel.
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sooner12 2 years, 1 month ago
"Riles said he did not know whether past elections included instructions to rank all of the candidates."
Hey, thanks man! Ally and Zac thank you.
Robi1988 2 years, 1 month ago
How would posting election instructions be forcing students to vote?
I disagree with the Mr. Riles. Instructions are necessary for students to be properly informed on how to vote.
I, myself, only voted for one presidential team and didn't know that I could rank the other tickets. I would have wanted my vote to have counted in later calculations too.
The lack of having proper instructions and software have caused an undemocratic run-off. It is a shame that 457 votes weren't counted. No matter whoever becomes the new student government President and Vice President, I want to be represented by the people that truly have the majority support of the student body without any stipulations.
soonerboomers 2 years, 1 month ago
Amusing.
kipt 2 years, 1 month ago
I really like that I was running for a spot and I didn't even know this. I know that my vote didn't count, my roommates vote didn't count, neither of my suite-mates' votes counted... Great!