A UOSA Undergraduate Student congresswoman has been campaigning and fighting for her right to seek office.
Shayna Daitch, humanities representative, contacted Election Chair Jeff Riles on Feb. 25, the day of the filing deadline, and asked to submit her application late. Riles granted Daitch a one-day extension. She submitted her application, paid a $15 late fee and thought she was confirmed as a candidate.
But on March 9, Matthew Gress submitted a grievance against Daitch for submitting her application late. On March 25, the election board reversed Riles’ ruling and disqualified Daitch as a candidate.
Daitch said her disqualification is hypocritical. She said Gress filed the grievance after a five-day limit on complaints of campaign rules infractions. The election board is supposed to make a ruling within one day of receiving a complaint, but did not decide to disqualify her until March 25, 17 days later. Her application was less than a day late.
However, Riles said even though Gress’s grievance began the process that led to Daitch’s disqualification, she would have been disqualified anyway. The election board did not treat Gress’ grievance as a complaint, they were not required to make a ruling within one day, Riles said.
Gress said he was unsure whether his grievance was a complaint according to election rules.
Daitch said extenuating circumstances led her to missing the deadline. The week of the filing she was hit by a car while riding her bike and was prescribed Hydrocodone that caused her to “forget a lot of what happened,” Daitch said.
Gress said Daitch attended class and a congress meeting on the week of the application deadline.
“If she’s healthy enough to do that she’s certainly healthy enough to file,” Gress said.
Riles agreed with Gress and the election boards ruling to disqualify Daitch.
“She couldn’t demonstrate that she was unable to file on time and so she was disqualified,” Riles said about the election boards decision.
He said the election board had already decided to disqualify Daitch before March 25, but she was not informed because she was out of the country.
She also wasn’t aware she had to run this spring because of confusion in past elections.
She was first elected to Humanities district in fall 2008. In spring 2009, she ran in a special election that was invalidated because of a snowstorm that caused low turnout. She ran for her seat again in the spring general election.
In fall 2009, Daitch ran in a recall election. Part of her confusion stemmed from the fact that in this election she was not elected but retained, Daitch said.
Riles said the secretary’s record shows that Daitch was up for re-election this spring, and she should have known this.
Daitch has been serving as a humanities representative but switched to international and area studies this election.
Congress leadership told her she could switch districts in fall 2010, she said. So, Daitch said, she was surprised when she saw there were three open humanities seats.
After the election board disqualified her, Daitch filed a brief asking for the right to run and the case was heard on Monday by UOSA Superior Court.
The court has allowed her to remain on the ballot until they come to a decision regarding the case.
Because of an error with the election Web site, in which international and area studies students could not vote for their representative, a special election was held Tuesday and Wednesday.
In the special election, Daitch received 24 out of the 28 votes that were cast.
Gress did not respond to voicemails left on his cellphone.
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howterriblysad 2 years, 1 month ago
Shayna,
I know you, and I can attest.
You're lazy beyond comprehension, and when you're presented with consequences for your behavior you always manage to find an excuse. Even more sickening? You get away with it.
Incredible.
TonyRomo 2 years, 1 month ago
So Ms Daitch is injured to the point of taking enough Hydrocodone to have spells of memory loss (something not associated with Hydrocodone mind you), and yet leaves the country?
This whole fiasco is making the Elections Board, and UOSA look like they are being played a-fool.
Shanaynay 2 years, 1 month ago
I just wanted to clarify that Matthew Gress never asked me or any of my teachers if I had been in class.
Had he asked, he would have known that I missed almost two weeks of school because of pain. In that time span I attended a congress meeting on pain medicine and I went to a meeting for my Illicit Trafficking class. Other than that, I pretty much stayed at home.
I chose not to focus on this during my Superior Court case, because accidents aren't covered in UOSA election rules.
My friends and professors can attest to this.
Shayna R. Daitch
matthewmurrayday 2 years, 1 month ago
Daitch, quit whining. YOU MISS THE DEADLINE, YOU MISS THE DEADLINE. But don't EVER cry and whine about it to where you can't take responsibility for your actions. You are typical of 99% of OU students. Irresponsible and clueless as to how the world really works. GROW UP and learn that you'll have a shot next year.
I'm sorry if you don't like my attitude, but that's the way it is. If you don't like it, GO BACK TO HIGH SCHOOL.
alaskaairborne 2 years, 1 month ago
Congratulations. I'm glad that you won the election and that Superior Court ruled in your favor.
Reading some of these comments, it always surprises me how fast people get petty and personal. It's like all semblences of fair play and civility in student government have vanished this year.