RHA judicial board overturns disqualification

After a Residence Halls Association election filled with accusations, violations and a judicial hearing, the end of the process is in sight but remains unfinished.

The RHA judicial board met Wednesday night and decided to reinstate sophomore Katherine Lambert as candidate for Hoosier Compass vice president for programming. They also overturned the RHA election commissioners’ decisions to reinstate elections in Read Center, Willkie Quad and Briscoe Quad.

However, the RHA judicial board decided that since RHA executive ballots were not available to Ashton Center residents for six of the nine hours of the elections, re-elections will occur from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. March 24.

Senior Eric Gibson, current RHA president, said the RHA judicial board found Lambert in violation of some of the election codes but did not believe there was enough merit to disqualify her.

Gibson also said that for three of the four residence halls, the violations were not serious enough to merit a re-election.

“I am thrilled that the judicial board went through with our repeal and heard the whole side of the story,” Lambert said. “I am thrilled to be reinstated and so glad that it’s all over.”

According to a document obtained by the Indiana Daily Student, “The 2008-2009 Election Commission of the Residence Halls Association: Chuck Norris vs. Hoosier Compass” states that “Lambert was seen by Elections Commissioner, Eric Gibson, sitting next to the polling station talking with the poll worker” in Read Center. 

Lambert said she was talking with a friend from work and did not introduce herself to anyone or sway votes in any way.

Lambert said Gibson saw her and asked if she had been campaigning. When Lambert said she had not, he continued on his way.

When she later heard of the complaints filed against her, it was stated that her physical presence was seen as campaigning.

The document states “Lambert was seen by Elections Commissioners, Erica Wiley and Jess Meyer, escorting Read elections commissioner, Christian Porod, to 801 N. Jordan Ave. with the Read Center elections ballot box.”

Lambert said as she was leaving the library, she saw Porod and walked with him to 801 N. Jordan Ave. She said she noticed Porod holding the ballot box but didn’t realize walking into the Residential Programs and Service building would leave a bad impression on the election commissioners.

“I had no access to the ballot box and did not sabotage information,” Lambert said. “I was walking on a public street with students around.”

Lambert said “the punishment choice was more severe than what the ticket had expected.” But she also said “the judicial board reinsured (her) reputation to the campus.”

Junior Aaron Collins, Chuck Norris presidential candidate, said he was glad the RHA judicial board noted the Hoosier Compass ticket had been in violation of the elections code, but he “preferred if something more was done.”

Collins still believes the Chuck Norris ticket has a fighting chance of winning the election.

“Votes are close in individual races,” Collins said. “It’s not over until it’s over. We will endure and hold on to what we believe in. We will put our all into it.”