Student Senate election applications will not be reopened
Student senate. Photo by Tim Zelina.
The Ohio University Judicial Panel will not reopen applications for the upcoming Student Senate election, according to a Tuesday press release.
The Panel was asked to reopen applications as a result of the budget crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic, which have affected Ohio U's operations in recent months.
The decision also comes after the sole candidate for Senate president, Carlo DeNiro, rescinded his candidacy when several sexual assault allegations were raised against him.
Ian Carter, who was the treasurer candidate on the UNITY ticket with Carlo DeNiro, is now the only candidate running for Student Senate president.
“Primarily, the Rules and Procedures does not grant the Judicial Panel the authority to reopen applications once the application period has ended,” the press release stated.
According to the press release, reopening elections would have allowed for more candidates to run for Senate offices, but it would also make the election unfair to the candidates who already turned in their applications in the given application time frame.
If an executive officer position were to be vacant, a member of the Senate would nominate themselves and would then be voted on by the body to fulfill the position for the remainder of the term.
The Ohio University Judicial Panel will not reopen applications for the upcoming Student Senate election, according to a Tuesday press release.
The Panel was asked to reopen applications due to events that arose including the budget crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic that has affected Ohio U's operations in recent months.
The decision comes after the sole candidate for Senate president, Carlo DeNiro, rescinded his candidacy when several sexual assault allegations were raised against him.
Ian Carter, who was the treasurer candidate on the UNITY ticket with Carlo DeNiro, is the sole candidate running for Student Senate president.
In the press release the Panel stated that, “Primarily, the Rules and Procedures does not grant the Judicial Panel the authority to reopen applications once the application period has ended.”
Reopening elections would have allowed for more candidates to run for Senate offices, but it would also make the election unfair to the candidates who already turned in their applications in the given application time frame, the release also said.
In the case that an executive officer position were to be vacant, a member of the Senate would nominate themselves and would then be voted on by the body to fulfill the position for the remainder of the term.