Last month saw arguably the most competitive, diverse and engaging Student Government election in recent history.
Not only did each executive board position face competition from a range of candidates, but the debates also saw something sorely lacking from previous years: a lively discussion of issues relevant to the student body.
But with the disqualification of Presidential Candidate Christian Hill immediately preceding the election announcements, the students deserve another chance to have their voice heard.
After all, the president of SGA is one of the most important faces of the student body. A solid reputation and ability to represent the students is a must. It’s even in the constitutional job description.
Therefore, it’s only fair the students actually have a say in who represents them before the community at large. And, as it stands, the results aren’t clear whether the presumptive president-elect is reflective of who the students actually voted for.
The issue isn’t whether Ashley Epperson, who ran on the same ticket as Hill as his executive vice president, is qualified or not. It’s that they simply didn’t elect her for the top job, leaving the position of EVP vacant until another candidate can be legally sworn in during the fall.
Put another way, no one could have predicted the final outcome of the election and the student body deserves a second chance to vote their conscience in a special election. Preferably sooner rather than later.
Because, ultimately, Hill’s ticket never should have been allowed to have been voted in. Considering the timeline of events that led to his election and ultimately disqualification (see page 2), it’s clear that either the Election Committee or Dean of Students should have stepped in before the election was already over.
Consider: the Dean of Students letter advising Hill of his “disciplinary probation” went out April 2, the day after polls opened. Hill had already admitted responsibility for pulling fellow fraternity brother Darrell Bazemore from the SUV in the initial incident two weeks before.
Hill should have known full and well that his eligibility status was in jeopardy and done the honorable thing and come forward. Or at least told his running mate and party.
But he didn’t.
So at that point in the election, the Election Committee should have cancelled out the results, announced why the action was necessary and reset the polls.
As of now, though, there really isn’t any other option except a special election. At least one that will not get dragged into a long, complicated appeals process through the Student Judicial Board that probably won’t result in a decision that reflects the will of the students, either.
We should be clear, though.
While Team Impact candidates swept the election in virtually every E-Board position they ran for, albeit partially on the main ticket’s coattails, these candidates won fair and square from all appearances. In that case, an across-the-board election probably isn’t warranted.
There’s another possibility to consider as well, since it’s possible we may not have heard the last of Christian Hill, either.
Based on confidential conversations with sources with some knowledge of Hill’s situation and documents obtained via the Georgia Open Records Act from the Dean of Students Office, it may be possible for the disqualified candidate to make his way back into the running for the presidential role.
If Hill successfully appeals his probation on either the university level or Board of Regents level before May 1st, when every SGA candidate will officially be sworn in, then it’s possible he may make a legitimate, if convoluted, claim for the presidency.
If that happens, it will be up to the Student Judicial Board (per Article 5, Section 2, Subsection E of the SGA constitution), to rule on “any appeals of Elections Commission decisions and to affirm or reverse such decisions.”
Even if that doesn’t happen, this process is also the only way other presidential candidates can legitimately stake a claim to the presidential and executive vice presidential positions, since the two are inherently linked in the election process as part of the same ticket.
So brace yourselves, Georgia State. From all appearances, it looks like we’re in for a bumpy ride.
