Envision frustrated but unfazed by election loss

By Michelle Sprehe

Friday, April 17, 2009

After weeks of campaigning and two days of elections, Envision candidates JJ Siler, Alex Porte and about 45 other members of the coalition gathered in Porte’s home and found that the coalition had lost by 95 votes. Siler, Overland Park junior, and Porte, Great Falls, Va. junior, lost the presidential and vice-presidential seats to United Students’ Mason Heilman and May Davis.

Both Siler and Porte said they were frustrated by the results.

“I’m not content accepting that because it’s not certifiable yet,” Siler said.

Davis was eliminated from the ballot by the election commission Tuesday night for alleged improper contact with members of the election commission, who were also members of her sorority. She was put back on the ballot early Wednesday morning by Chancellor Robert Hemenway.

“It’s a constant struggle when you’re dealing with an incumbent that doesn’t know how to behave,” Siler said.

Porte said he wouldn’t appeal the decision of the student body, but he would complain to the elections commission that United Students didn’t follow the rules.

“Ninety-five votes is such a close election,” Porte said. “We really need to examine how each coalition got those votes.”

Thirty-nine Envision candidates won senate seats and United Students candidates won 27 senate seats.

“Our coalition is much bigger and important than JJ and myself,” Porte said. “The fact we didn’t win every single seat isn’t a disappointment.”

— — Edited by Justin Leverett

Comments

richie09 (anonymous) says...

Good to see you are such gracious losers. Please just accept the fact that you lost.

April 17, 2009 at 1:37 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

selliott (anonymous) says...

Well, isn't United States going to be under investigation for their conduct at The Hawk?

April 17, 2009 at 2:44 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

pantheon (anonymous) says...

What? United Students? The Hawk?
This is news to me. Tell me more.

April 17, 2009 at 8:29 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

Jhitt (anonymous) says...

It's the wheel. Employees at the Wheel informed us that US had bought a keg and was saying " free beer if you vote for United Students" with a laptop present. The operators of that laptop were candidates wearing their candidate identification buttons. This is clearly a violation of elections commission rules and with a margin of victory this narrow illicit tactics such as that are what make the difference.

April 17, 2009 at 9:10 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

pantheon (anonymous) says...

Okay, that is a problem. It's an even bigger problem than The Wheel smelling like feces, or May Davis being a [redacted].

April 17, 2009 at 9:20 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

connerm (anonymous) says...

Another problem that is yet to be addressed is that Mr. Stuckey apparently used several illegal university-access-only mailing lists to send messages out to potential voters. I look forward to seeing these issues resolved.

April 17, 2009 at 9:40 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

delta77 (anonymous) says...

All the people who are complaining are ignoring multiple irregularities in the voting system that likely were responsible for the results of the Off-Campus and Graduate seats. United Students' Graduate candidates weren't even shown on the ballot for part of the election, while numerous residential students were forced to vote Off-Campus, and vice versa.

My point? It might be better for both sides to settle with what they got, or they might be surprised at the results. United Students got the president and vice president, and Envision got nearly 60% of Senate seats. That's just a few votes away from a supermajority. But if the elections commission is forced to throw away some graduate votes and recalculate the off-campus and residential results, I could see Envision losing a half dozen seats.

April 17, 2009 at 9:57 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

pantheon (anonymous) says...

"It might be better for both sides to settle with what they got, or they might be surprised at the results."

You're right. The democratic system SHOULD be suspended because somebody might not like the outcome. And maybe, while we're at it, we can just skip elections.

April 17, 2009 at 10:08 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

jayb1rd (anonymous) says...

The only reason United Students continues to win is because of fraternities and sororities. No surprise there. But what a lot of people don't know is that officers in Greek organizations will actually stand over pledges and make them vote for US. Look at the election results, and look at how many freshmen/sophomores (who are the majority of pledges) voted for United Students.

Students of Liberty should have won. They were the only fiscally responsible coalition without ties to the crazy inner politics of KU. Enjoy one more year of hiked fees and crooked politics!

April 17, 2009 at 10:44 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

delta77 (anonymous) says...

I didn't say that we should throw democracy out the door. I said that both sides can either be satisfied that they got roughly similar pieces of the pie and attempt to begin to work together, or they can take the fight to the death.

But who am I kidding? We all know what they will choose.

April 17, 2009 at 10:52 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

esskay (anonymous) says...

jayb1rd, I have never heard of anyone forcing anyone to vote a certain way for student senate, greek or otherwise. Don't you think people have better things to do?

JJ Siler and Alex Porte are both involved in Greek Life, as is much of their slate. United Students probably lost a sizable portion of the greek community to Envision. But the fact of the matter is that Mason was far and away the most qualified candidate, and Envision's campaign was based mainly on criticizing United Students.

Students of Liberty should not have won. Adam Wood is unprofessional and hostile.

April 17, 2009 at 10:53 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

wcook (anonymous) says...

I do hope that there is an investigation into the incident at The Wheel.

April 17, 2009 at 11:39 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

connerm (anonymous) says...

Is there even a significant number of pledges this late in the year?

April 17, 2009 at 1:02 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

connerm (anonymous) says...

Is there even a significant number of pledges this late in the year?

April 17, 2009 at 1:02 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

chucknorris (anonymous) says...

The incident at the Wheel needs to be resolved immediately, and as for the e-mail from Darrel Stuckey II, I personally received two of his e-mails, and then two e-mails from Mason Heilman just a few days after that incident that looked almost identical to Mr. Stuckey's e-mail (suspicious, I believe so). United Students campaign was based off of cheap cheating tactics, scandalous practices, and lying to the student body in order to receive their vote. Scum bags Period.

April 17, 2009 at 1:30 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

Jhitt (anonymous) says...

Roundhouse kick inc imo

April 17, 2009 at 1:34 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

selliott (anonymous) says...

Yeah sorry for incorrectly identifying the 14th street bar. I like The Hawk so that's why I was concerned. Certainly this infractions should be brought to the attention of the elections commission and the Chancellor before joint session convenes. I just am wondering why the Kansan didn't report on these events.

April 17, 2009 at 2:35 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

richie09 (anonymous) says...

The UDK didn't report on these incidents because no one cares except you guys. Maybe next year you need to remember that votes win elections, not crying to the judicial board, EC, UDK, or anyone reading these comments about the atrocities that were committed during the elections process.

If I were to running a campaign I would focus all my time getting votes instead of complaining how big of cheaters, idiots, liars, scumbags, etc. the opposition was. If you spent half as much time getting votes as you do complaining you would win. Plus, all the complaining makes you look stupid/ incompetent.

US got more votes, they win. Next year, focus on what will enable you to win-getting more votes than anyone else.

April 17, 2009 at 2:57 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

pantheon (anonymous) says...

richie09, what you've just posted is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever read. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone on this site is now dumber for having read it. I award you no points, and may the gods have mercy on your soul.

April 17, 2009 at 3:17 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

SamuelBrownstone (anonymous) says...

-Pantheon: "what you've just posted is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever read."
-What richie09 wrote: "US got more votes, they win."

Apparently Pantheon doesn't understand how the elections process works.

April 17, 2009 at 4:34 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

pantheon (anonymous) says...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._pre...
http://media.www.theseahawk.org/media...

Because winning is all about getting the most votes.

April 17, 2009 at 4:37 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

Jhitt (anonymous) says...

US gets more votes, therefore they win. How they got those votes is apparently irrelevant. Samuel Brownstone is clearly missing the point.

April 17, 2009 at 5:36 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

richie09 (anonymous) says...

At no point did I say how they got them is irrelevant. What I said is that you should focus more of your efforts on winning votes (within the rules, of course) and not on bashing the other side and trying to bring complaints and suits against them. From an outsider it appears as though you are trying to beat your opposition through the EC and not by getting the most votes. Again, focus on getting the votes, not on your competition.
The equation is simple, the most votes wins, period. Everything else doesn't matter and will not help you win.

April 17, 2009 at 6:42 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

JConnor (anonymous) says...

Richie09, I'm glad you are able to give us an outsider's opinion on this. Judging by your post history, I would have guessed you were someone involved with the United Students exec staff. But I was wrong, so thanks for clarifying.

April 17, 2009 at 6:48 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

richie09 (anonymous) says...

Never been part of a coalition, ran for senate or even been to a senate meeting.

Just calling it like I see it.

That was very ingenious of you to look at all my posts. . . almost as ingenious as trying to win an election by winning the most votes. Maybe next year you will all make the connection. Although, I don't think the election would be as interesting if all the other coalitions simply ran their campaign and didn't complain about everyone else. On second thought, keep doing what you are doing. I need something to keep me entertained in my old age.

April 17, 2009 at 7:40 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

rlawler (anonymous) says...

I'm all for throwing out the election and democracy at the same time, unlike delta77. That way, McGoonigle and the current exec. staff can stay on for another year!!!

April 17, 2009 at 9:09 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

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