After a brief meeting Monday, the Student Government election commission will meet again today to hear four election complaints.
The complaints were dismissed Monday because the complainants, Zachariah Chou and Edward Zambrano, were not at the meeting, during which attendance is required by the UF constitution, said Neal Cordero, the commission’s chairman. Cordero said he emailed both students Friday to notify them of the meeting and their required attendance.
But both Chou and Zambrano said they never received an email.
Cordero said he didn’t realize he didn’t notify the students of the meeting, so the commission will meet again to give Chou and Zambrano a chance to speak.
“I was under the impression that I notified them,” he said. “We want to ensure their voices are heard.”
Today’s meeting will take place as if Monday’s never happened, Cordero said.
Chou, who was the only independent candidate elected to UF’s Student Senate on Wednesday, said he submitted one complaint about a political ad not having the required “Reg.Pol.Ad” writing in the ad. Because no complaints were placed against Chou or the other independent candidates, Chou said he is withdrawing his complaint and will not attend today’s meeting.
Zambrano submitted three complaints after he volunteered for Jeremy O’Brien Murillo’s independent campaign for Beaty Towers. O’Brien Murillo lost Wednesday by six votes. The complaints included another “Reg.Pol.Ad” missing from an opponent’s ad, Impact Party representatives campaigning at the Beaty Towers bus stop and Impact representatives walking students to polling locations.
“I will be there (today),” Zambrano said. “It was a mistake, but I’m glad they’re going to rehear.”
Today’s meeting will be at 4 p.m. at the Levin College of Law in Room 355A.
Editor’s note: Zachariah Chou formerly worked as a paid photographer for the Alligator.
