The Union re-poll due to take place at the end of 2nd week following presidential candidate Krishna Omkar’s disqualification by an election tribunal has been plunged into turmoil after the Returning Officer received no valid nominations.
The unprecedented situation has forced Alex Priest, the current Returning Officer, to issue an interpretation and ruling on how the Union will now proceed, as there are no rules specifically covering this outcome.
In what appears to be an attempt to avoid suggestions of undemocratic handling of the elections, the Returning Officer’s ruling has gone contrary to what had been expected by those close to the Union and what had been reported in the press.
The original tribunal hearing disqualified Krishna Omkar from last term’s overturned Union presidential election, and forbade him from running in any subsequent Union elections.
The tribunal board directed that a re-poll for the position of President should be held, and laid down criteria for eligibility, namely that those eligible to run for President at the original election, except Krishna Omkar, would be eligible to run in the re-poll.
Charlotte Fischer and Claire Hennessey, who was Secretary in Michaelmas, were both eligible to be nominated under the criteria. However, Fischer resigned from Standing Committee on Monday of 1st week, citing sexual harassment from committee members and “personal attacks”.
As Cherwell24 has now learned, Hennessey has not stepped forward to run, leaving no nominations for election.
In the absence of nominations, it was expected that current Librarian Ed Waldegrave would assume the presidency for Trinity Term, with the subsequent elevation of officers below him.
However, the Returning Officer has instead directed that the re-poll be deemed to have not occurred, and so another poll will be held, with nominations closing Friday of 3rd week.
To ensure a contested election, the eligibility criteria have been relaxed so that more candidates are able to be nominated. Cherwell24 is aware of at least six potentially eligible candidates.
In the interpretation and ruling, the Returning Officer notes that, “The democratic election of Officers – especially that for the Office of President – is a fundamental principle which underpins all for which this Society stands.”
He goes on to state that he believes that the ruling is in the “best interests of [the] Society and its members.”
Sources close to the Union have told Cherwell24 that elements within the Union had “exerted extreme pressure” on the Returning Officer to avoid holding another poll and instead appoint Ed Waldegrave as President for Trinity Term. However, when contacted, the Returning Officer was unable to comment.
It is, however, understood that the original tribunal and appellate board chairmen, as well as several other senior figures within the Union, were in favour of a democratic solution.
Nominations for the poll open Friday of 2nd week and close 3pm Friday of 3rd week. Presidential elections for Michaelmas term are still scheduled to take place in 7th week this term.
