someone: Nominated for Association President

[SerialKeeler]

You constantly break election rules however you complain about everything Tom does until he is banned from running? You are a hypocrite. It is a shame that the student body is not more aware of the unethical ways you have been running you campaign. Its really sad.

[Al]

Perhaps he feels the election rules don't apply to him. And why should he when he has friends on the EOC?

Mr Byrne, I find it amusing that someone who resigned office mid-term twice and who - since election to a third post - has routinely missed meetings is now an expert on the failures of the Association. What makes you an expert on the failures of the Association?

[rocky mountain]

I can't believe the pettiness of this candidate. Preston has obviously realised who is greatest competitor is, and has therefore made not one, but 15 complaints against him. Tom did his best to run his campaign according to the rules - and was mostly successful. As Senior Student of John Burnet Hall, a much loved one at that, he had many people supporting him. Unknown to him, a Facebook group supporting him was created, and many people changed their photos to "Tom D'ardenne for Association President." Apparently this is against the rules, but for Tom to tell all of his supporters these rules would have been extremely difficult.
Even then, if all other candidates had played by the rules, maybe Tom's disqualification would have been fair. However, partly because the rules for this election are so ridiculous, all candidates have broken them. I know people who have received bulk Facebook messages telling them to vote for Preston. Just to really demonstrate his pettiness, Preston also made the Grill House take Tom's banner down so that it could be officially measured. Since it is actually only just over half the maximum size (which surely, knowing the maximum measurements, Preston should have been able to estimate from looking at it), it was perfectly 'legal', but it never went back, the Union never having got round to officially measuring it.
I am sorry that this post is so long, but I would just like to make a point. I know that Preston is not the kind of person that I would like to have representing the University to the outside world. I want someone genuine, which is why Tom would have been so great. He is one of the nicest people I know, and I am extremely disappointed that this has happened. I urge you all to vote to re-open nominations and see if we can't sort this Union out.

[jequirity]

Taking down a poster to measure it's size? That just sums you up completely Preston. I'm definitely gonna vote RON.


[hr]

LEEERRRROYYYY!!!!

Andrew W K Day 9th of May

[Lodestone]

Quoting rocky mountain from 09:43, 17th Mar 2006

I know people who have received bulk Facebook messages telling them to vote for Preston.

Rocky Mountain, will you please immediately ask these people to formally complain to an Elections Officer. If they do, then official measures can be taken.

[Louise Hallman]

Anyone who is aware and has evidence of any major rule infrigement by any candidate should tell the EOC if they are so concerned as otherwise the EOC cannot really take action on hearsay.
However, the disqualification of any candidate at this stage now is very unusual unless it is a major offence. If any appeals (which any dq'd candidate always has right to) are upheald, the election would have to be re-run, most likely in April. Which is the same as would happen if you voted RON.

[hr]

Louise Hallman
Nominated for SSC Member Societies Grants

[Lodestone]

I am seriously disgusted by Preston's behaviour, especially if rocky's hearsay is true. I want a fuss to be made about this.

[Al]

Major offence? One might be forgiven for thinking that using threatening behaviour towards a member of staff was a major offence.

[Louise Hallman]

yes indeed, but as far as I'm aware that's been already dealt with discipline-wise, thus there would need to be another infraction. past precident seems to suggest that getting dq'd on election day itself is highly unlikely. I've certainly never heard of it. You'll have a much longer memory than a mere lowly third year like me - has it ever happened?

[hr]

Louise Hallman
Nominated for SSC Member Societies Grants

[Al]

Only once as far as I know. A candidate for Welfare Officer was provisionally DQd on polling day. Things were run slightly differently then. Candidates were not publically DQd until after the election was over. That way, if they successfully appealed then there would be no need to run a new election. In this case, he lost anyway.

[alias]

Quoting someone from 01:43, 14th Mar 2006

Quoting shinyhappyperson from 23:34, 13th Mar 2006
If STAR were to go continuous, would it be the only SSC sub-committee to receive such funding (the same amount as almost the entire affiliated socieities budget) or would similar monies be made available to the other SSC sub-committees such as Charities, Mermaids, Debates, the Music Fund & the soon to be affiliated SVS?

Initially? Yes. The Association could not afford to give £15,000 annual grants to each sub-committee. Even the STAR-FM expenditure would not be able to happen without extensive consultation with the leadership of STAR-FM and discussions with other sabbaticals this spring.

Before you start yelling "Preston hates the performing arts!", know that I like performing arts as much as anyone else. However, bear with me for two seconds while I explain.

STAR-FM differs from other projects in that its creation is, in a sense, a valuable tool--- in campaign lingo, a "key asset"--- that the Association could, and ought to, use to communicate with the student body and increase business in the building (as well as run campaigns for athletes, societies, arts, etc.). Furthermore, our efforts would not stop with STAR FM--- it would be part of a wider plan to acquire funding and grant increases on the whole.

STAR FM is, rightfully, an independent station and so it should remain. However, as a tool for communication with students it would be unparalleled in its effectiveness and this would justify the initial capital outlay.

someone
Nominated for Association President

[hr]

All the truth in the world adds up to one big lie.

[alias]

PJB-

Question: How do you spell douche bag?
If you could get beck to me on that ASAP it would be great. Thanks.

[hr]

All the truth in the world adds up to one big lie.

[exnihilo]

A presidential candidate was disqualified on polling day as well, by an EOC on which I served. That wasn't so long ago, but he was subsequently reinstated. As it turned out, though, it didn't affect the result.

[Lodestone]

To my knolwedge, Byrne has solicited votes in Hamilton Hall without warder's permission too, and also got himself on the front page of the Saint in interview--both against the rules.

[Irish Frank]

Preston, I have made two official complaints to the Union today about your campaign conduct. The first is about your violation of campaign and health and safety rules in your placement of flyers in Hamilton. I asked you to explain this in the thread, and your pathetic attempt to ignore the question doesn't say much about how accountable you would be as President.

The second complaint is about deliberately misleading the electorate on the sinner about your forced removal from McIntosh. You said:

Quoting someone from 20:58, 16th Mar 2006

I actually left McIntosh on my own, thank you very much, as the sub-wardens in question probably aren't capable of physically removing me from much of anything.

I had been invited to McIntosh to deliver remarks by a resident, and was received warmly by the students there, many of whom I know.

someone
Nominated for Association President.

However, I received the real story today from a McIntosh resident who wished to remain anonymous. He/She said:

"1. He did not leave on his own. He was escorted out, and wardens were actually on the verge of getting the porter to eject him.

2. He was informed before he made the speech that not only was he not allowed to by hall rules, he would be breaking election rules and he was given the option of sitting at the table and having people approach him for questions.

3. Candidates are allowed to come to meals and be asked questions. Anders did this today, after checking what precisely he could do with our warden. Wardens are thus not discouraging candidates from "making themselves available for questions" (from Preston's thread).

4. He was not received warmly. He was jeered.

I am outraged at the double standards that have let Dardar be disqualified and Preston not, given that this was such a massive breach of rules, which I believe has led to a change in policy for all halls regarding candidates."

If you are willing to lie to the sinner about this isolated incident, what makes you think students can trust you as President?

Folks, Dardar's appeal was successful, he has not been disqualified and his name is on the ballot. Need I say more?

[cam]

With the voting due to close soon, Preston, I wish you all the best and hope you are successful in being elected as Association President. I believe you are the best man for the job. As for the remarks about Chattan, I fear that those trying to discredit and blemish your name have done so for not entirely credible reasons.

Good luck.

[Irish Frank]

For those of us who don't have the pleasure of personally knowing Preston, we have to use his campaign ethics as a measure of his personal conduct.

[purringpickles]

If Tom has been disqualified then why was his name still on the ballot papers. It hasn't been made clear to the electorate who is in the running today.

[Al]

Quoting cam from 16:41, 17th Mar 2006
With the voting due to close soon, Preston, I wish you all the best and hope you are successful in being elected as Association President. I believe you are the best man for the job. As for the remarks about Chattan, I fear that those trying to discredit and blemish your name have done so for not entirely credible reasons.

Good luck.

He has not refrained from attacking others in this election. If he didn't want people criticising his behaviour then he should have adopted a less abrasive stance.

[jrat19]

Mr Byrne, your antics during this election have made a mockery of the entire process. I dont have the privledge to know you personally but what I have witnessed first hand and heard through the numerous allegations circulation about you at the moment leaves me in serious doubt as to your capacity for representing the student body.

I must credit you though because regardless of the result, one would expect the new ethics officer to play an extremely active role next year in preventing any future BLATANT transgressions. Hopefully, he/she will also play an active role in campaigning to revamp the entire election system.

If indeed you do find yourself victorious, I have a hard time imagining how you will be effective as assoc president with the number of people you have managed to alienate with your campaign. If victory is indeed your calling, it would be appreciated if you would please save us from future scandal and embarassment by simply relinquishing your claim to office. I am sure that most of your harshest critics would not take any action to attempt you from using the victory to pad your law school applications.

Regardless of the outcome, would you at least be willing to HONESTLY address the accusations against you as accountability does not appear to be your forte at the moment. Until you do, please stop using the word ETHICAL because I think that it still has potential for positive use in the future and I would not want it to be associated with this election in general.

signed..
student(s)