VIPIRG election ruling and notice of re-vote

March 21, 2015

Public notice regarding VIPIRG’s 2015 election for its Coordinating Collective

A Message from VIPIRG’s Research Coordinator, Stefanie Hardman:
Thanks to all who were able to cast their votes and/or make it to our AGM on Thursday – the turnout was amazing! We had so many awesome candidates running for seats on our Coordinating Collective. VIPIRG is lucky to have such a vibrant, caring, and engaged community!

I am excited to work with the new Coordinating Collective and collectively draft a new Strategic Plan for VIPIRG’s future steps.

The integrity and fairness of decision-making at VIPIRG, particularly an election that votes in new Coordinating Collective members, is something we at VIPIRG take very seriously. We recognize the importance of our accountability to the student body and wider community and hope to account for any inconsistencies that arose throughout the voting process. Please review the following message from VIPIRG’s AGM Chair, Alexandra Holtom.

Election ruling from VIPIRG’s AGM Chair, Alexandra Holtom:
“The election results were clear in regards to the eight (8) ordinary/student seats. The successful candidates are as follows:
–       Caleb Beale
–       Emily Bellinger
–       Selina Beltran
–       Nathan Butz
–       Paul Castrodale
–       Jennifer King
–       Noah Ross
–       Katrina Woollgar

Congratulations and welcome to VIPIRG’s Coordinating Collective.

It has come to the Chair’s attention that there are some concerns around the procedures of VIPIRG’s AGM Coordinating Collective election, specifically around the three (3) associate/community member seats.

No points of order about these particular concerns were raised during the meeting and the meeting received approval for adjournment. However, concerns raised after the meeting call into question the integrity of the election results. Because the meeting was adjourned prior to the election results being made public, there was no official opportunity to accept or contest the results of the election.

Therefore, the chair is ruling that the three (3) associate/community seats should go to a revote.

The revote will take place on Thursday, April 16th from 12pm – 8pm at the VIPIRG Resource Centre. VIPIRG’s Resource Centre is located in the Student Union Building (B122) on UVic campus.

All current UVic undergraduate and graduate students, as well as all community members of VIPIRG (ie. paid $10 membership prior to or at Thursday’s AGM), are eligible to cast ballots in the revote. Community members who joined after Thursday March 19th will not be eligible to vote in this revote.

Nominations are closed. Candidates are those who met nomination eligibility requirements by the AGM on March 19th. Candidate statements will be available for voters in hardcopy and online versions. The following names will be included on the ballot:

•    Susan Abells
•    Boma Brown
•    Andy Chen
•    Julie Anne GIlchrist
•    Dana Levine
•    Eric Nordal
•    Wulf (Serina) Zapf

The chair will facilitate the counting of ballots and announce the final results of the election on Friday, April 17th by 4pm.

The chair will do their utmost to uphold the proper election procedures throughout the process. Thank you for your patience and understanding during this time.”

VIPIRG election notice [PDF]

* Added April 13: Check out statements from the VIPIRG coord community candidates [PDF].