The results of the freshman elections will now be announced at least a day late due to two spending violations filed on behalf of the Nominations and Elections Committee last night.
A hearing will be held on Tuesday for Undergraduate Assembly candidate Lisa Zhang -- charged with falsifying her spending form -- and freshman class presidential candidate Arthur Hayes -- charged with not filing his spending form. Deliberations will follow the 6:30 p.m. hearing, after which point the NEC is expected to issue rulings on the violations and announce all election winners.
"The election could be re-run, or they could be disqualified," NEC member and College junior Peter Christodoulou said.
The NEC has already disqualified Hayes, a Wharton freshman, but he may contest that decision if he files a written appeal.
Zhang, a College freshman, will have an opportunity to offer an oral defense at the hearing. According to the charge, Zhang "failed to account for all of her spending on her spending form. It appears as if this was done to mask the fact that her actual spending exceeded the $50 spending limit."
Neither Zhang nor Hayes could be reached for comment.
Candidates were informed of the violation charges at around 9 p.m. last night via e-mail. Most were not surprised to hear that violations were filed, but were intrigued by the charge against Zhang.
"I don't really see how she could have falsified the information. ... I'm curious to see this," Wharton freshman and UA candidate Jason Mischel said.
"It's a little bit weird how someone could spend even close to $50," College freshman Kam Moukwa said.
All candidates, as well as current UA and class board members, are expected to attend Tuesday's hearing.
"It'll be an interesting hearing now that there are violations," UA Chairman and College senior Jason Levine said, adding that UA members will be in the audience in order to meet the body's new freshman members.
NEC Elections Vice Chairman Eli Hoffman also invited other students to attend.
"We really do encourage the general public to come out," the College and Wharton junior said. "You get to see democracy in action."
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