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Apathy mars SGA election

Disappointing voter turnout in Senate race

Rachel Peters
Senior News Editor

This year’s Student Government Association (SGA) Senate elections ended in disappointment for both the organization and two disqualified campaigners.

Despite an organized advertising campaign by the SGA, voter turnout for the SGA Senate elections on March 27 and 28 failed to meet expectations. SGA Board of Elections Chair sophomore Julio Minsal-Ruiz predicted a voter turnout of 1,300 voters; however, only 702 ballots were cast.

Minsal-Ruiz said, “We did pretty much everything we could,” but also commented that SGA hopes to incorporate an online portal system voting to make it easier for students to cast their vote. This year’s voter turnout was similar to last year’s turnout.

Twenty-two students ran for this year’s 16 Senate spots and two of these campaigners were disqualified.

Sophomore Matt Robinson received the sixth highest vote among the campaigners (299 votes; 42.59% of the overall votes), but was disqualified for not turning in his reported campaign expenditures on time to the SGA Board of Elections. This year was Robinson’s first year of running for Senate and he claims to have simply mixed up the turn-in time.

According to Paragraph 6.2.e. of the SGA Elections Code, “A complete campaign financial statement… must be submitted to the [Board of Elections] by 7 p.m. on the last day of elections to ensure that proper amounts were reported. Candidates who a) fail to submit a financial statement by 7 p.m. on the last day of election, or b) cannot or will not comply with the [Board of Election’s] request for receipts will be considered as making false statements to election officials, and therefore shall be disqualified from the election.” This disqualification falls under the same consequence as vote fraud in the official code.

Robinson thought that the financial statement needed to be turned in by noon the day after elections.

Robinson said that he is torn by his personal blunder because he cannot hold anyone else accountable, but believes that SGA needs new, first-time members. “Granted, [the reported expenditure by-law] is part of the code, but I felt like it was part of insider knowledge,” said Robinson.

Minsal-Ruiz said that despite the board’s efforts to emphasize deadlines, there is almost always at least one candidate who is disqualified. Minsal-Ruiz believes that since the financial reports are due when election polls close, candidates forget the deadline due to “wrapping up campaigns and crossing their fingers.”

Despite his disqualification, Robinson is optimistic and plans to look for mid-term vacancies in SGA and to run again next year. Robinson hopes to be an influence and make changes to the university through SGA, but also believes that SGA is not the only vehicle for doing this.

Sophomore Rachel Edmonson was also disqualified for failing to turn in her campaign finances on time.

This year candidate’s expenditures ranged from $0.00 to $98.25 with an average expenditure of $46.74.

The 2007 SGA Senate Election by the numbers

Total ballots cast: 702
Avg. votes per ballot: 8.28
Total money spent: $1,028
Candidates running: 22
Candidates elected: 16

Final vote tally:
Esteban Gamboa (435 votes; 61.97%), Emmanuel Ofori (420 votes; 59.83%), Willie Byrd, Jr. (411 votes; 58.55%), Shigeki Tanabe (395 votes; 56.37%), Jen Downing (302 votes; 43.02%), Erin Swietlik (291 votes; 41.45%), Katie Grant (279 votes; 39.74%), Kristin Vennekotter (275 votes; 39.17%), Andrew Smith (263 votes; 37.46%), Ray O’Brien (253 votes; 36.04%), Corey Burton (248 votes; 35.33%), Murphy Robinson (242 votes; 34.47%), Zachary Treister (230 votes; 32.76%), Carter Johnson (228 votes; 32.48%), Kiki Richardson (217 votes; 30.91%) Sarah Virkler (209 votes; 29.77%).

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Midwest Masala returns to Xavier

South Asian Society’s second soiree to be held Saturday

Brian Bowsher
Editor-in-Chief

For three hours this weekend, Cintas Center will be the new New Delhi.

Back after a successful premiere show last spring, Midwest Masala 2 will again celebrate South Asian culture through a dance competition and full Indian dinner on Saturday, April 14 at Cintas Center.

Hosted by Xavier’s South Asian Society, the competition will feature dance teams from seven area universities including Cincinnati, Miami and Michigan in addition to the Xavier South Asian Society, Xavier Dance Team and Xavier step team. The teams will perform a wide array of styles, including Bhangra, Raas, Hip Hop and R & B.

Comedian Rahul Siddhargh will also perform at the event, and one audience member will win a $1,800 scholarship from Kaplan.

The dance competition will begin at 7 p.m. while dinner will be served at 6 p.m.

This year’s theme, “Fusion of Cultures,” captures the club’s goal of promoting a greater sense of South Asian unity and a joining of western and eastern cultures among the Xavier and Cincinnati communities.

Students can purchase tickets for $10 on the greenspace between 12:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. daily. Proceeds from ticket sales benefit the Saraswati Secondary School Fund in Nepal, a charitable organization that donates books and scholarships to children in South Asia.

Senior Keyur Parikh, South Asian Society President, said that last year’s show raised $2,000, enough to furnish a library with books and novels, but he hopes to double that amount this year.

According to Parikh, the South Asian Society has been working non-stop to make sure everything is set for Saturday’s event.

Junior Anish Kapil, SAS Vice President, estimates that he has spent two hours a day since January preparing for the show.

While Kapil admits that defending champion Michigan is again the favorite to win the competition, he does not think Xavier’s team should be counted out.

“We’re going to bring it,” said Kapil. “I still think we’ve got more heart than any team.”

 Contact Info

John LaFollette 
Editor-in-Chief

Rachel Peters
Ann Tassone
Darren LaCour
Senior News Editors

The Xavier Newswire
3800 Victory Parkway
Cincinnati, Ohio 45207-2129

On-campus location:
The Publications House,
3739 Ledgewood Dr.

Telephone: 513.745.3607
Advertising: 513.745.3561
Fax: 513.745.2898

Email:
John LaFollette 
Editor-in-Chief

Ellie Jaqueth 
Advertising Manager

Full list of staff contacts

www.xu.edu/newswire