This post was updated May 1 at 9:04 p.m.
The USA Elections Board disqualified two candidates from the upcoming Undergraduate Students Association Council election.
Christina Morcus, a candidate for USAC president, and Abrar Alzabin, a candidate for Academic Affairs commissioner, both failed to submit required funding disclosures, according to notices of disqualification approved by the elections board Wednesday.
Candidates were required to submit their first funding source disclosure Monday, though the board granted 36-hour extensions to candidates who failed to meet the deadline, according to the notices. Morcus, a third-year cognitive science and international development studies student, and Alzabin, a second-year human biology and society student, failed to meet the extended deadlines, according to the notices.
According to the USA Election Code, a candidate’s failure to submit required expense reports warrants disqualification, though candidates may appeal election board decisions to the USA Judicial Board within 24 hours of the decision.
USA Elections Board Chair Sujana Sridhar said in a written statement April 29 that the judicial board denied Alzabin’s appeal of the decision but granted Morcus a preliminary injunction staying her disqualification.
The judicial board unanimously upheld Morcus’ disqualification May 1, ruling that her disqualification was not due to a technical error.
Alzabin’s disqualification means incumbent Academic Affairs Commissioner Cristopher Espino will be unopposed in his bid for reelection.
Neither Morcus nor Alzabin responded in time to a request for comment on their respective disqualifications.
