Bruins United campaigning banned Friday for violation
By amanda schallert
May 9, 2014 12:17 p.m.
Bruin United candidates running for undergraduate student government officer positions were banned from all forms of campaigning Friday for turning in inaccurate expense accounts.
All candidates participating in the Undergraduate Students Association Council election this week were required to confirm the amount of money they spent campaigning to the USAC Election Board by 5 p.m. on Thursday. According to the election code, inaccurate or incomplete reporting may result in the disqualification of candidates.
Kateisha Menefield, the campaign manager development co-director for LET’S ACT! filed the complaint. The Election Board chose to prohibit the candidates from campaigning instead of disqualifying them from the race.
“The effect that it had on the elections didn’t seem severe enough that it warranted disqualification,” said Election Board Chair Anthony Padilla.
Bruins United candidates submitted incorrect expense accounts because of confusion over the deadline to turn in receipts, said Joseph Hassine, the Bruins United campaign manager.
Hassine said the discrepancy in the reports came from Bruins United candidates not disclosing the costs of bagels, which were handed out to students Thursday.
The bagels cost about $300 to $400, Hassine said.
He added that the incorrect reports were not intentional, and he thought he was allowed two days to turn in receipts after purchases were made because of confusion about the election code.
Voting ended at noon Friday on MyUCLA.
Compiled by Amanda Schallert, Bruin senior staff.
