By Rodd Cayton, On-line Forty-Niner
April 21, 1997
Ian Coleman was elected to the treasurer post in last week's run-off election of the Associated Students Inc. government, receiving nearly two-thirds of the vote.
But witnesses said that Coleman was the beneficiary of an unfair campaign tactic. Several witnesses reported seeing unauthorized personnel near ballot boxes campaigning for Coleman.
"I saw two people working there and at least three more who were [standing] around telling people to vote for Ian," said one student, who asked not to be identified.
The witness added that while the poll workers did not participate in soliciting votes, they did nothing to make the offending individuals stop.
Associated Student guidelines specify that during elections, no one may campaign within 50 feet of a polling station.
"They were sitting in chairs right next to them," the student said. She said the students soliciting votes remained at the polling location, near the University Bookstore, for more than an hour.
Her allegations were corroborated by a another witness, who also spoke on condition of anonymity.
"They were getting people who didn't even want to vote," the student said, "and telling them to vote for Ian."
The Daily Forty-Niner discovered the allegations from reports that were posted on a bulletin board in the A.S.I. office, in compliance with California public-records law.
Also on the board was a letter signed "Derrick Wroten," which made similar allegations.
"I feel this in unfair to the candidates who do not have the privilege of having friends at the booth," the letter read.
Coleman said he had no knowledge of any misconduct and did not know about the complaints until late Wednesday night.
"My focus was to have a strong platform and to campaign honestly," Coleman said.
The A.S.I. election commission reviewed the complaints and did not accept them, citing the absence of supporting evidence, such as the names of the individuals participating in the alleged misconduct.
"The committee met Wednesday and considered each of the complaints on its own merit," said Stuart Farber, director of Student Life and Development.
A.S.I. election commissioner Chris Sanco challenged the notion of any impropriety.
"I don't think it was going on for either candidate," Sanco said.
Sanco said he spoke to a poll supervisor, who told him all vote solicitation took place farther away than the required 50 feet.
Coleman beat Sheryl Mauricio 784 votes to 448 (63.6 percent to 36.4 percent).
Mauricio could not be reached for comment.