Jennifer Hassum was elected chairperson of the Students’ Administrative Council and those running uncontested for the rest of the executive positions were approved in elections held this past week.

But elections to the university’s highest governing body, the Governing Council (GC) were marred by irregularities. Although official winners have not yet been declared, Saswati Deb and Coralie D’Souza have likely won the two spots with roughly 1,200 votes each. The two other candidates, Husain Aboghodieh and Maple Chong, garnered under than a thousand votes each.

During the election, D’Souza alleged that Deb placed campaign posters in illegitimate locations, and that she made inappropriate use of ASSU resources. The complaints were deemed “serious” by the elections overseer committee of Governing Council, which posted a notice on ROSI that could be seen by voters and refused to reimburse Deb for her campaign expenses.

Anthony Gray, GC’s chief returning officer, investigated the postering complaint and found seven Deb posters in places banned by the elections guidelines.

The second complaint alleged that Deb used confidential phone numbers entrusted to the Arts and Science Student Union (ASSU), of which she is an executive member, in order to campaign.

Deb said that ASSU’s official endorsement of her candidacy made her use of ASSU resources legitimate, in accordance with past ASSU practice, and that the poster problems were not an issue.

Paul Bretscher, SAC President, said that SAC has complained to the elections overseers about their decision. SAC has also lodged three complaints about D’Souza’s campaign. They allege information on her campaign website was misleading, questioned the credentials of one of her endorsers, and raised concerns about D’Souza’s involvement with a proposal to get a universal student metropass instated.

“[Gray] interviewed me about these allegations and I think that went well,” said D’Souza yesterday.

“Since we were both elected, I hope to put this behind us and work together on the Governing Council.”

Deb is planning to appeal the decision reprimanding her for use of ASSU resources.

“I am confident that a reconstituted committee, free of political interference, will clear me of this charge,” said Deb.

The elections committee is expected to follow up on these charges early this week.