In a close race that ended Wednesday, Ilia Nossov was narrowly chosen as the next student representative to the UB Council amidst accusations that he violated election rules.
Nossov received 51.93 percent of the votes and his competitor Creighton Randall received 48.07 percent of the votes in the online election.
Only 803 total students voted in the race open to the entire undergraduate and graduate communities through UBLearns - Nossov won by a margin of about 30 votes and the low turnout can be attributed to the lack of knowledge on the Council, according to Jen Wantz, Assistant Director of Student Activities.
"I think during the (Undergraduate Student Association) elections people are out in the open and they see what's happening. It's a very public election," Wantz said. "Nobody knows what UB Council is and its like pulling teeth to get people to come out for the vote. It's just real tough, especially when there are only two people running."
Both candidates in the race have been accused of violating election policies and according to Wantz, both sides have broken the rules.
Nossov campaigned in "polling places," which in this instance was near Capen Library computer terminals. Randall illegally hung posters on walls, according to Wantz.
"I really don't like running this election at all," she said. "Especially after this year, it has been a very tough election for us, not only because I have been beaten up over it, but because it is not my job. I do it to help out the student governments."
Randall accepts responsibility for his campaign violation and admits that he hung posters outside of Capen in an attempt to raise awareness on the last day of his campaign. However, he is upset with the fact that Nossov had what he considers a clear and unfair advantage.
"His integrity is in question," Randall said. "He directly influenced voters by campaigning in Capen. He passed out literature at the computers while I was outside the library as designated by [Wantz]."
Nossov is excited to have won the election and feels that he committed no election violations.
"Basically the election rules were written before the online election and there is a mention of the polling place. All it says is that you need to be 50 feet away," Nossov said. "But since it was an online election, the definition of a polling place was the server and because its not defined - I don't feel like I did anything wrong."
Randall believes that responsibility for election violations falls on Wantz because she failed to hold a meeting to brief the candidates on the rules of the election because there were only two candidates running.
"I drove into campus for a meeting with Wantz, and only after arriving I found out the rules and regulation meeting was cancelled due to the fact their were only two of us," Randall said. "I was never given any election rules and had to proactively search to find out what the rules were."
According to Wantz, the Student-wide Judiciary (SWJ) will handle all campaign violations and most likely each candidate will face community service hours. As of Thursday, Wantz had received 12 e-mails about Nossov campaigning in the library.
According to the election rules and regulations Nossov could receive 20 hours of service duty for the first offense if convicted and 35 hours for each additional charge. If the charges filed with Student Life stick, Nossov would have to serve over 100 hours of community service.
Wantz is in possession of the posters Randall hung by the library. He will serve three hours of service for each of the eight posters, according to the rules and regulations of the election.
Randall is extremely disappointed with the way the election was run but hopes that the violations will be taken care of.
"Andrea Costantino, the director of Student Life, has brought a considerable degree of grace to the situation," Randall said.
The UB Council serves as the primary oversight and advisory body to UB, its president and its senior officers. The regular duties of the council are to review all major plans and activities of the university in the areas of academics, student life, finances, buildings and grounds, as well as make recommendations and regulations for the benefit of UB in matters of community and alumni relations.
Nossov is excited to begin his term. He is apprehensive about UB2020 and will focus much of his attention on this topic.
"I really want to take a look at how everything is being done and how it is being planned," Nossov said. "I'm not sure how everything is being funded. Where are we getting the extra space for residence halls and parking?"
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
