Newspapers / The Guilfordian (Greensboro, N.C.) / Feb. 23, 1996, edition 1 / Page 2
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2 Marasco ticket wins landmark election Statement from the Elections Committee After hours of deliberation and care ful consideration of the issues and de sires of both tickets, we have decided to accept the results of the election of February 20th. This committee feels this is in the best interests of the stu dent body, the candidates, and Guilford as a whole. We apologize for the delay in releas ing the results, but we felt that there were significant issues which needed to be examined, due to the two-vote margin between the tickets. During this discussion of issues, we discovered in consistencies in the voting procedure and in the process. The Election Com mittee followed the precedents of pre vious years which proved to be incon sistent with a by-law in the Senate Con stitution. The Election Committee de cided any decision made by the com mittee would be inappropriate without the involvement of both tickets. Thus, we presented the situation to both tick ets without revealing who the ballots favored and asked how they would like to proceed. After thorough discussions, both tickets expressed the desire to ac cept ami support the results of the Tues day election, regardless of the outcome. In conjunction with two members of the Election Committee, both tickets devel oped several stipulations regarding the electoral process: 1) Hie election process most be re viewed and revised by the end of this academic year. 2) Senate should consult with oth ers about bow Quaker processes should be incorporated into the electoral pro cedures. 3) Senate should examine the impact of elections on individual perceptions of power on campus. 4) The election process must be ap proved by Senate and affirmed each year. 5) An open forum will be hekl by the elected executives to discuss issues of concern with the student body The Election Committee accepted the recommendation of both tickets as well as the stipulations listed above; One member of the Election Commit tee, Peter Kielty, stood aside in this de cision due to the constitutional issue. We would like to thank both tickets for handling this dilemma in a mature and respectable fashion. Respectfully submitted, Ben Ford, Committee Chair Stephanie Jennings Rachel A. Christensen Wolf Melbourne Peter Kielty Anthony DeCicco Jeannie Dahlhauser The Guilfordian news February 23, 1996 jMk VK# Hflß mm, j#SHHr * :J|H|V JB ■? The two-vote margin of victory for the Marasco ticket (all shown above), perhaps the closest in Guilford's history, forces senators and students alike to consider a "revamping and restructuring" of our election procedures. KEIR BICKERSTAFFE was then, at approximately 12:15 am Thurs news editor day, that the Committee announced the People from all walks of life crowded into Founders Hall Tuesday night, wait ing for the announce ment of the winners in the UNION and Community Senate elections. And they waited. And waited In fact it wasn't until very early Thursday morning, nearly 30 hours after polls closed, that an agree ment was reached and the Marasco ticket was declared the winner in the Senate by a mere two-vote margin, 289-287. "It was a very anxious time," said Sen ate President and Elections Committee member Stephanie Jennings, "Many of us had feelings that it was going to be close, and that only heightened [the tensions]. As the night wore on, there were more and more concerns as to what was the right thing to do." The strange manner of this election be came apparent late Tuesday night, when the Election Committee asked to speak to both tickets in private. It was then that the Com mittee told the candidates a two-vote mar gin existed, without revealing the victor, and asked for their help in resolving the matter. As is stated in the Election Committee Statement at left, they decided to bring the two tickets into the decision because of "in consistencies in the voting procedure and in the process," mainly attributed to prob lems in checking student identifications. Numerous meetings between the tickets and the Elections Committee ensued, as the parties worked to fmd a possible compro mise to alleviate any doubt the original tally might have held. Ideas such as coalition governments or a re-vote were brought for ward, but after several hours, the two tick ets agreed to stand by the original vote. It SENATE results Votes Percentage MARASCO ticket 289 48.25% DAVIS ticket 287 47.91% Others 23 3.84% UNION results Votes Percentage SKEAT ticket 352 78.7% LOWITT ticket 54 12.1% Others 41 9.2% printed below, Many students around campus expressed anger at being effectively shut out of the pro ceedings, citing a re-vote as the fairest pos sible solution. Although nothing can be changed this year, leaders of the Election Committee were sensitive to these opinions. A thorough investigation of the election pro cess will be taking place over the next sev eral weeks, and a clearer law will be writ ten and in effect by the end of this year. Statements from the two tickets We wish to express the utmost respect and support for the Kelly Davis ticket Their qualifications are obvious, their dedication admirable and their ideas well-thought out and focused. We are very proud of the campaign that was run—mudslinging, we feel, has no place between friends... we are pleased that it was avoided. Much discussion and deliberation has taken place since the election, due to the minute margin in the results. It was our central goal during the discussion, as well as the campaign, to do what was best far Guilford College. We stand behind the decision of the Election Committee and the student body. We feel the results of the election are legitimate and support the results as they stand, regardless of the outcome. The members of the Kelly Davis ticket have our full support in their continued leadership roles and involve ments at Guilford College. Steve Marasco, Shawntay Stocks, Adjowii Cooper-Henry, Molly Martin After careful consideration of the situation at hand, we've decided that in the best interests of students and the school to accept the results of the February 20th elec tions. We support the endeavors of the other ticket No matter the outcome, we feel each of us as individuals will stay-—as we always have been—heavily involved in the betterment of Guilford College. J. Kelly Davis, Sanies Beatty, Cory Birdwhistell, Laura Davis Marasco ticket as the winners. Due to the late announcement of the result, inter views were unable to be conducted with the individual candi dates. However, a press release from each ticket from be fore the announce- ment of the winner is "There may be some disgruntled people in the student body. I know I've heard com plaints. What they should keep in mind is that this was a decision that the two tickets running agreed to. We are amateurs, and there will always be flaws [in the process], but we want to set a respectable precedent that will avoid the ambiguity of this year's process," Ford said. In addition, a Forum will be held with the newly elected Executives to target elec toral problems. All students and personnel are invited. "The procedures and policies of Senate can constandy be approved, and this [elec tions] process has marked an area which merits particular attention," Jennings said. In a somewhat less dramatic, while no less important announcement, the Cara Skeat ticket, with Skeat as President and LaShaira Fullwood as Secretary, was de clared the winner in the UNION election. A late write-in campaign headed by Brian Lowitt garnered little support en route to Skeat's decisive victory.
The Guilfordian (Greensboro, N.C.)
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Feb. 23, 1996, edition 1
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