In The Varsity’s February 28 issue it was revealed that StudentsFirst had decided to boycott the UTSU elections after alleged last-minute disqualifications. StudentsFirst presidential candidate Matthew Gray alleged that VP external candidate Rohail Tanoli and board of directors candidates Cloe Bilobe and Suzannah Moore were notified shortly before the all-candidates meeting that they did not receive sufficient nomination signatures to enter the race.
Before announcing the slate’s boycott Gray inquired as to whether the candidates could enter the race if an appeal found that they had the sufficient number of signatures. Both the CRO and the elections and referenda committee refused to provide a definitive answer.
On 3 March 2011 the CRO issued an interim report on the “ineligible nominees for the 2011 UTSU Spring Elections.”
The report found that Rohail Tanoli — StudentsFirst nominee for Vice-President, External — received 217 nomination signatures, of which only 187 were eligible. Executive candidates are required to submit 200 eligible signatures to enter the elections race. Upon a recount on 2 March 2011, Tanoli’s inelligibility was confirmed.
StudentsFirst candidate for New College Director, Cloe Bilodeau, received a total of 21 nomination signatures. Board of direcors candidates are required to submit 25 signatures to enter the elections race. Victoria College Director Suzannah Moore submitted a total of 26 nomination signatures, of which only 21 were verified to be eligible.
