La Voz

Media Credit: Tom Guffey Robin Claassen, President-elect, and Rahela Sami, Executive Vice President-elect, celebrate after learning the results of the DASB election.

Robin Claassen and Rahela Sami won last week's elections for De Anza College Associated Student Body president and vice president, despite not receiving the highest vote count.

Claassen and Sami, who ran as a team, received 262 votes. Monica Pen and Nelson Yu received 288 votes out of 1088 ballots. At the routine grievances meeting on May 22, Pen was disqualified because she campaigned too close to the polls. Elections regulations require candidates not to campaign any closer than 50 feet, a threshold she allegedly violated.

"She should be disqualified because it is not fair to campaign so close to the poll," said Rishvika Kumar, one of the presidential candidates.

Committee member Elaine Smith said Pen was acting like she was campaigning because "she was showing her name on a sign and saying something."

When questioned, Pen said that she only pointed to the polls and was "encouraging people to vote, but not to vote for me." "The only time I stayed longer than one minute between the 50 feet [from the polls] with the sign with my name, was to buy food," she said. Pen is planning to file an appeal.

As her running mate, Yu was automatically disqualified. "Rules are rules," said Senator Jonathan Yeung.

However, some regarded the decision differently. "Nelson doesn't deserve this," said Senator Nathan Mertz. The three-hour-long senate meeting was an opportunity for candidates to register complaints about fellow candidates' campaigning practices over the last two weeks. The purpose of a grievances meeting is to evaluate if the candidates' campaigns are considered ethical by the DASB senate codes and to disqualify the candidates that violate them. "Elections bring out the worst in people," said newly elected student trustee, Jordan Eldridge. Senator candidates Luis Carrillo, Joseph Chen, Janice Cimatu, Qing Hu, Reetika Kathuria, Rex Chio Pang Lei, Antonio Sou, Cheen Ting Wong, and Ho Wong Holman Yuen were disqualified because they did not turn in their financial records, which is mandated by DASB campainging regulations. Overall, ten disqualifications were made and as a result, the election results were postponed by two hours.

Last Wednesday, the results were posted in a back window in the Administration building. Over a dozen candidates crowded around the posted sign, and many celebrated with embraces and congratulations. "I'm flattered and looking forward to working with the students," senator-elect Dan Sealana said. Candidates appeared relieved that the campaign was over. "It's been the longest two weeks ever," said Alexis Loveday-Tierney, who ran for senator and won a position.

Newly elected Trustee Jordan Eldridge was happy with the results once they appeared in window. "I'm going to stand up for students and not always follow with what the administration says. I'm ready to do it," he said. Vice President of Student Services-elect Yujin Yoshimura, said: "I feel like shouting. This is not the end, this is just the beginning."

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