Vaden, white want to withdraw from IUSA elections

IU freshmen basketball players Robert Vaden and D.J. White plan to withdraw from today's IU Student Association elections. \nBut according to IUSA's Election Code, the deadline for removing a name from the ballot is seven days prior to the election, making this year's deadline Feb. 15. Elections begin today and end Wednesday, and Vaden and White's names both will be on the ballot as a result of failure to withdraw in time, IUSA Elections Compliance Director Chris Maher said. \nIf elected, Vaden and White most likely would decline the two congressional seats their running for in the University Division under the Kirkwood ticket. With their names remaining on the ballot, though, votes may be taken away from candidates who still plan on serving.\nAfter the pair met with IU coach Mike Davis, they decided the additional time commitment wasn't in the players' best interests.\nThe trio was likely unaware of the seven-day restriction the code listed, said IU Associate Media Relations Director Aaron Jordan.\n"We talked with coach Davis and realized it would be a little too hard to keep up with my studies, basketball and the IUSA," Vaden said. "We just talked after practice one day, and we decided it wouldn't be a good thing to add another activity on my plate right now."\nCongressional time commitments include meeting two times per month as well as attending various committee meetings.\nIf Vaden and White decline the positions, the elected IUSA administration would accept applications for the open positions. If the applicant's credentials matched the open spots' required qualifications, the administration would submit those applications to the congressional membership committee. The committee then would submit candidates, who would have to be approved by the IUSA Congress in a vote.\nSix candidates are elected within each division of the Congress. If Vaden and White are two of the six elected and decline their positions, the other University Division candidates who weren't elected would have had their chances significantly reduced because of the pair's lame-duck campaign, Vote for Pedro Presidential Candidate Alexander Shortle said.\n"I feel bad for (Vote for Pedro congressional candidates) that they might be beat by two guys because of their names that aren't going to do it," Shortle said. "We'll find a spot for (those candidates) in Congress if we win."\nShortle said Kirkwood's seeking White and Vaden to run reduces the legitimacy of IUSA.\nIf Vaden and White had withdrawn before the deadline, their names wouldn't have appeared on the ballot, which would have reduced the competition for the other candidates.\nDavis said if the pair were elected, it would be a great learning experience -- but it would be a little too much with basketball and school.\n"With those two being not only freshmen in college but student-athletes as well means they already have a great deal of responsibility, and adding something like the IUSA could be a little overwhelming," Davis said.\nVaden and White decided to run after IU freshman Maggie Daniels, Gov. Mitch Daniels' daughter, persuaded the pair. Daniels is also running for IUSA Congress in the University Division under Kirkwood. \nThe Kirkwood tickets said they were notified of Vaden and White's wishes and applaud their efforts to get involved in student government.\n"We understand their time commitment needs, and we support them," Kirkwood Presidential Candidate Brian Strawbridge said. "If elected to their seats, Kirkwood will work to make sure that we find qualified students that can meet their requirements."\n-- Contact Staff Writer John Rodgers at jprodger@indiana.edu.