What began as a race for student body vice president quickly turned into an election violation duel this week. Results of the election will not be posted until after the outstanding violations are dealt with.
Before we break the situation down, it’s important to understand this: If an election violation is filed against a candidate, the Elections Commission may give points to the accused candidate. Candidates who receive five or more points are out of the running.
It all started Feb. 10, when student body vice presidential candidate Lee Goble filed a violation against fellow candidate Brian Samples for giving out pizza and other foods on Greene Street during the soft campaigning period. During the soft campaigning period, candidates are not to distribute “campaign promotional items such as cups, T-shirts, food, beverages and items related to the exchange of food, beverages or consumer products,” according to the SG Election Codes.
As a result, Samples was given three points against him.
Then, according to Goble, “one of [Samples’] people or [Samples]” filed a violation Monday for a “Vote Goble” flier hanging in the Statehouse where Goble works as a page. A second violation regarding the same matter was later filed using different wording.
Goble said he had permission from his boss, who he said was happy to support the campaign. Though the measure does not appear to go against any SG election codes, the Elections Commission gave Goble one point.
Samples appealed the commission’s decision to give Goble one point, which means Goble will have a meeting with the Constitutional Council next week.
That's why the results of the student body vice presidential race were not announced Wednesday night — the announcement has been postponed until that meeting. The meeting time had not been determined as of Wednesday night, according to Elections Commissioner Danielle Padgett.
“He saw that I only got one point, and he appealed it because he believed I should have gotten more points than just one,” Goble said. “I can’t say why he thinks that, but I personally assume it’s because he got three points.”
Come Wednesday, the day of elections, a third violation was filed against Goble.
This time, it was for campaigning in the senate chambers — Goble spoke about his campaign last Thursday to Dance Marathon, which uses the space for weekly meetings.
The student senate was not in session; the chamber was essentially a room to be reserved in Russell House, unconnected to SG.
Goble said he noticed multiple violations Samples had committed, but chose not to report them.
In the photograph on his campaign Facebook page, Samples is sporting a bowtie with the USC logo on it. According to Section 4-3-50 of the SG Election Codes, candidates “may not employ any officially trademarked or copyrighted materials (e.g. the University logo, seal, etc.),” meaning Samples could face points against him were a violation to be filed.
Goble said Wednesday night that he noticed Samples committing enough violations to be removed from the ballot but he chose not to report him.
“By that point, the points would have added up, and he would have been kicked off the ballot,” Goble said. “I just really, really do not appreciate him at all at this point, and I hate that this has become such a petty thing.”
When asked for comment Wednesday night, Samples declined to speak about anything relating to the violations filed. He did, however, post a statement to his campaign Facebook page around midnight.
“To voters on both sides of the campaign issue; I appreciate and am honored by the enthusiasm y’all have shown in the last 48 hours,” the statement said. “But please stay away from insults and insulting commentaries to both sides. It is unbecoming to the office and inappropriate as Carolinians. I appreciate the love and support, but let’s do it the right way y’all.”
Ross Abbott, chief justice of the Constitutional Council, declined to comment.