Student Government Association Elections Board chair Marco Pretell-Vazquez confirmed Monday that Cardinal Collaboration and University Coalition are under review for possible campaign violations.
Late Sunday evening, Cardinal Collaboration members e-mailed multiple students through Ball State University's Gradebook system. The e-mail explained that students received the message because they currently or once attended class with either presidential candidate Nathan Meeks, vice presidential candidate Alyson Tennant, treasurer candidate Tony Dalesandro or secretary candidate Megan Kirschner.
The e-mail then outlined Cardinal Collaboration's primary platform points and encouraged students to vote in Monday's and Tuesday's SGA election.
Pretell-Vazquez said University Coalition also is under investigation for a "similar" violation, "but under different specifics" involving e-mail campaigning. University Coalition presidential candidate Kerri Cropper said there was a misunderstanding among all three slates and that members of her campaign also received Gradebook e-mails from Cardinal Impact slate members.
Cropper said her campaign would move forward as intended for the rest of election season, and she said she hopes the Elections Board can clear up the "misunderstanding between the rules and all slates."
Shortly after, University Coalition campaign manager Nick Hewitt clarified the presidential candidate's statements. He said Cardinal Collaboration was responsible for the Gradebook e-mails his slate received. He also speculated that Cropper was mistaking prior alleged campaign violations by Cardinal Impact, but that only the Elections Board had more information on that matter.
Under SGA Election Code Article VI, Section 2, candidates are expected to adhere to all university policies when campaigning or fundraising. As part of Ball State's Student Code, Appendix E, Section 6, Letter C, personal and commercial use of university technology is prohibited, particularly for "political campaigning."
The Elections Board was alerted to the possible violation Sunday evening, and Pretell-Vazquez said he hopes the matter can come to a resolution by first-thing Tuesday.
Pretell-Vazquez did not specify what disciplinary actions, if any, might be leveled if Cardinal Collaboration is found in violation of Elections Code policy.
For more on this story see Tuesday's edition of the Daily News.
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