Editorial

When the Senior Class Council president-elect says the election rules "may have been violated," it's time for more than an investigation - it's time for a re-vote.

Gigi Jameel, a Revolution party member, told The Post yesterday "Everyone involved in the elections process was given a copy of the rules," she said. "Those rules may have been broken."

Jameel was elected president, and TOGA party members Mike Hendricks, Nate Wolf and Nicole Slusser, were elected vice president, treasurer and secretary, respectively. The TOGA members said they will not accept the positions because they ran as a party and wanted to win as a party.

Regardless of who accepts the council positions, an inexcusable problem exists — lack of respect for election rules.

An investigation will determine whether election rules were broken. A re-vote, however, will emphasize that shady election procedures — such as not having the adviser present during ballot counting — are not acceptable and will not be tolerated.

Apparently, some people don't share that attitude. Current president Kevin Bilderback, who is in charge of the elections, said for the last three years, no adviser has been present during the ballot-counting. That was one aspect of the rules that had been "overlooked," he said.

This kind of apathy has to change — starting with the incoming Senior Class Council.

Ralph Amos, council's adviser for the second year, said he never has seen a copy of the rules and did not know he had to be present when council members counted the ballots. Yet this year's council counted them, completely aware that the adviser's presence was required.

And council members want us to take them seriously?

This lack of respect for fair elections is a disgrace to the organization and to the people who voted. The Senior Class Council is sponsored and advised by the alumni association. It provides leadership for senior class programming. The council raises funds for a senior class gift. Members have a specific job to do — one that affects nearly every senior at Ohio University.

But based on these elections, are we to trust that these council members are capable of assisting in the search for a graduation speaker, planning a senior class trip and deciding on a senior class gift?

Yeah, right.

Considering how their reign is starting, they won't be capable of doing much. During this year's campaign for Senior Class Council, Revolution candidates told The Post they wanted Nelson Mandela to speak at the 2001 commencement. TOGA candidates said they wanted to work with the university to represent the senior class as best they can.

And once students learn the results of the investigation, can they really trust the incoming council to grant the campaign promises?

Maybe that trust will develop, but only if students are allowed a re-vote in which election officials follow every policy. Senior Class Council has a job to do. And members should start by proving they can handle it responsibly.