Micek for e-mail
By TIM LOGAN
News Editor
Outside the student government office Thursday night, a crowd gathered, peering through the window at the candidates and election officials inside.
"This is going to be one of the goofiest elections of all time," predicted Student Union treasurer James Jesse. "Just watch, something is going to happen."
About 25 minutes later, something indeed did happen when Judicial Council president Kelly Folks opened the door and announced the results.
"Because of a forfeit by the Hanover/Micek ticket," Folks said, "The O'Donoghue/Norton ticket has won, pending an appeal."
The Election Committee forfeited Hunt Hanover and John Micek from the run-off election because of three violations of campaign bylaws, thus giving victory to Brian O'Donoghue and Brooke Norton.
One of the violations involved Michael Fairchild, a Hanover/Micek supporter and senior from Alumni Hall, e-mailing on behalf of the campaign on election day. Campaigning on election days is prohibited. Fairchild declined to comment.
The other two violations occurred when Hanover e-mailed students in Alumni and Breen-Phillips Halls on behalf of his campaign. The Student Senate prohibited the use of e-mail in campaigns at its Jan. 26 meeting.
Hanover and Micek will appeal the decision of the Election Committee, according to Dan Peate, their campaign manager.
After the results were announced, neither ticket would comment, but no one seemed to believe this was the end of the race.
"The election is in limbo," said student body vice president Michael Palumbo.
Hanover and Micek will file their appeal, in writing, to Folks and Palumbo, the chair of Student Senate. The Senate will then hold an emergency meeting to consider the appeal.
There is no time limit for Hanover and Micek to file, and Peate did not say when they would. But, given that Junior Parents Weekend begins today, student government leaders doubted the appeal would be immediate.
"To be honest, I'd be surprised if they file before Monday," Folks said, "but I don't know for sure."
The actual results of the election were not released to anyone, including the candidates. Only Folks and Becky Demko, Judicial Council vice president for elections, know who won the vote.
The Election Committee, comprised of one representative from each dorm, did not learn the final tally, but did vote on the violations.
The Committee voted unanimously that Fairchild's election day campaigning was a violation. The charge stated that Hanover or Micek through "prior contact" with him, were responsible for his actions. The Campaign bylaws state that "candidates will be held responsible for the behavior of their supporters and anyone in their campaign organization."
The Committee voted 16-2 that each of the two charges concerning e-mails from Hanover constituted a violation.
They voted 17-0 that a charge of posting campaign material after the established deadline in Alumni Hall was not "of merit" and was not a violation.
Members of the Election Committee confirmed that several students brought the e-mails to their attention today. The four who were reached by The Observer declined comment.
This event capped an election which has seen a number of ethical debates. The Election Committee suspended the O'Donoghue/Norton committee from one day of campaigning for their appearance on WVFI Feb. 5. Several tickets were not allowed to enter the race because they submitted petitions signed by the same student more than once.
O'Donoghue/Norton and Hanover/Micek reached Thursday's run-off by finishing a commanding first and second in the primary election Monday. O'Donoghue/Norton received 43 percent of the vote Monday. Hanover/Micek gained 34 percent. In order to win, a ticket must get more than 50 percent.
Notre Dame's campaign comes on the heels of Saint Mary's controversial student body presidential election. The College's Board of Governance Election Committee gave Crissie Renner and Michelle Nagle the election victory on Feb. 6 after the first run-off ended in a tie and the second run-off was declared unconstitutional.
"Elections this year have taken an unprecedented turn in terms of the dramatic," Demko said. And it's not over yet.
All News Stories for Friday, February 18, 2000
