Due to the possible ineligibility of one of their candidates, Aspiring Students Promoting Educational Responsibility (ASPER) have pulled out of the Concordia Student Union Executive elections.
Instead, they are asking students who would have voted for them to vote for Evolution, Not Revolution instead. Flyers they were distributing on campus early urged students to vote for Evolution because they “represent the first real change in four years.”
In a letter, former presidential candidate Justin Levine stated that the party did not wish to jeopardize the electoral process by running an illegal candidate. Levine expressed fears that if they were to run and win, there would be the possibility of the election being annulled.
Members of Evolution said they appreciate the support, but had no idea ASPER would pull out and back them.
Clean Slate members, who faced the brunt of constant criticisms from ASPER during the first debate, were more cynical about the events. Calling the move predictable and expected, they believe that ASPER and Evolution had been coordinating the move since at least January, according to Clean Slate VP candidate Rob Maguire.
Both Evolution and ASPER deny the charges.
Slates gaining support
A staff member of Hillel Montreal sent out an e-mail last week urging students to vote for the Evolution not Revolution slate in the Concordia Student Union elections being held this week.
Noah Joseph, the co-president of Hillel Concordia, was quick to point out that although he personally supports the slate, Hillel Concordia does not officially lend its support to any particular slate.
“That [the e-mail] was sent by one of the staff members in our Montreal, parent organization office,” explained Joseph. “It wasn’t really Concordia Hillel backing any particular groups.”
The current CSU executive and members of Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights (SPHR) have come out in support of the Clean Slate headed by Concordia Senate member Youri Cormier.
Alumni wades in
Concordia’s Alumni association is hoping students vote en masse this year to make sure their voices are heard at the CSU and are adequately represented.
In a massive advertising campaign, including banners, newspapers ads and postcards mailed to all undergraduate students, the Alumni Association urged students to vote, saying “We voted then – now it’s your responsibility.”
The association hopes to help raise voter turnout, which in past years has hovered around 5 to 10 per cent, said Concordia Alumni Association President John Aylen. The association has not set a goal of how high they would like the turn out to be.
Questions about the campaign arose when students reported receiving phone calls asking who they would vote for, and then allegedly criticizing their choices. At first, it was unclear whether this was part of the Alumni Association’s campaign. Aylen explained, that the campaign was contacting students solely through the mail.
Concordia’s undergraduate elections run from March 25 to 27. Polling stations are located in major locations on both campuses.