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Gross incompetence

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by Badger Herald Editorial Board

Monday, October 18, 2004

The Associated Students of Madison is at it again. The bumbling absurdity that has come to define the organization's troubled path hit another low mark last week concerning its elections for the Student Services Finance Committee. Races for two SSFC seats were disrupted Tuesday night after former Student Council Chair Austin Evans filed a petition.

In the suit, Evans alleges election irregularities, claiming the term lengths of the two SSFC seats should be staggered. Such was determined in a resolution passed last year, while Evans was serving as council chair. Evans requested the suspension of the elections and the nullification of the results, followed by an immediate re-election. It also suggested an investigation into what Evans is calling "gross incompetence in the proper implementation" of the resolution.

Student Judiciary Chief Justice Nathaniel Ramano has since allowed the election to continue, but has prohibited the Student Election Committee from releasing any results until the Judiciary makes a decision concerning Evans' petition.

What is enormously troubling is that these measures have sealed the election results in two uncontested races. Brad Vogel and Jenny Johnson have essentially had their bids to two SSFC posts halted on a technicality — a technicality that wasn't mentioned until the election process had already started.

While Evans' motivations are only open to speculation, it appears as though the former Student Council chair is grinding an axe with at least one of the current candidates. His actions, and ASM's choice to dignify them, have only continued to disenfranchise the student body on the election process, and on ASM as a whole. Our only question is when does the real "gross incompetence"

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Anonymous (October 18, 2004 @ 7:03am):

This isn't so much Austin having an axe to grind with one of the candidates as it is the fact that he is like a two year old always needing attention. Right now, he is not the ASM Chair any more, and he doesn't have any restraining orders to file against people, so he pulls this stunt instead. The little bubble in Austin's head is probably saying, "Why not? It's a great way to be in the news for a week!"

Austin could have easily cleared this up a few weeks ago and not disrupted the election, but chose not to- he would not gave gotten any attention that way. Austin- grow up! We're sick of your antics!

Also, what's up with sealing the results? The 2000 election results in Florida were not certified until more than 3 weeks after the election, but we still saw the preliminaries. Besides, the impact of this case does not even affect the freshmen race. This is especially disturbing with ASM since there is no paper trail of the ballots.

Anonymous (October 18, 2004 @ 11:32am):

ASM should've given preliminary results in both the Frosh and SSFC elections. The fact that they haven't done so yet raises some major questions.

Anonymous (October 18, 2004 @ 11:38am):

ASM is as corrupt as a pack of Republicans.

Anonymous (October 18, 2004 @ 2:25pm):

HAHAHAHAHA!!!! This is too funny. I have spent much of my time today trying to think of a joke for this, but nothing can compare to the fact that we have two uncontested candidates and everyone is going to lose. Only in ASM. Austin Evans has once again stepped up and stood as a wonderful example of everything comically tragic about our student government. Just promise me that United Council will be as funny when you inevitably end up there with other former ASM Chairs.

Instead of a joke I suggest everyone go see Team America.
Sooooo Funny.

ASM, FUCK YEAH!!!

Conservative With A Sense Of Humor