Associated Students Inc. candidates John Haberstroh and Jonathon Bolin were found guilty on Monday of violating election handbook regulations by passing out campaign leaflets in the dorms.
The Board of Elections ruled against the duo in a 3-2 vote, according to ASI Elections Officer Leo Palomera. Haberstroh and Bolin will lose $25 each from their election deposits as a result.
Haberstroh, the presidential candidate, and Bolin, the vice presidential candidate, are disappointed about the decision and plan to appeal it.
“The accusers provided no evidence that we or our campaign workers handed stuff out in the dorms,” Haberstroh said. “All they had were pictures of stuff laid out, and anyone could have done that.”
Bolin also agreed with Haberstroh and said that he, Haberstroh and their workers do not have access to the dorms.
Bolin said the only reason why he and Haberstroh lost was due to intimidation from their accusers. Bolin said he thinks someone is trying to get them in trouble because the ones who brought the charge against Bolin and Haberstroh are running against them.
According to Palomera, Priscilla Covarrubias filed the violation petition.
“What I said was that if [the accusers] brought evidence, we were not going to lie about it,” Bolin said.
According to Bolin, he and his running mate filed paperwork for the appeal on Wednesday.
Palomera said case deliberations are still closed off to the public.
“This is just a minor thing,” Haberstroh said. “It’s being played up as a ridiculous scandal, and it’s a waste of time.”