ULSU sabbatical officer elections Vol. XXII, Issue 5
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MARCH 2014
www.anfocal.ie
from the Wolfpack to the Wolf of Students’ Union
Paul Austin
ULSU sabbatical election campaigns kicked off early this year. The Wolverine Wolfpack assaulted the Students’ Union on Thursday of nomination week causing quite the racket as they collected their nomination packs. The team, all running on the same ticket for the three sabbatical positions, were hurried out of sight until they could be questioned by the secretariat of the Electoral and Referenda Board (ERB) as to their intentions. Hurdle overcome, the campaigning began in earnest despite clear regulations forbidding early campaigning.
Most of the campaigning did appear to centre around a near empty Stables Courtyard but this team was not to be discouraged. The €50 fine which would be the expected reaction from the ERB was considered money well spent to get the 24 hour jump on the competitors and one member was even quoted as saying “If the ERB and their false sense of authority feel like putting the wolverines at a disadvantage then we will play the hand we are dealt” (boards.ie 2014). Due to unforeseen circumstances, and in no way related to the hard night of campaigning the night before, each member of the Wolfpack failed to hand in their completed application form before the 5pm Friday deadline and unfortunately a great
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opportunity was missed. Friday afternoon was a tense time for all potential candidates and anyone who was hanging around the main courtyard was ambushed by various potential candidates for a last minute proposal name and student number to replace another, which for one reason or another had been deemed not valid. Some awkward glances were exchanged as one presidential candidate almost asked another to propose him. Some names were harder got than others and one proposer drove a hard bargain at selling a raffle ticket in return. The deadline passed and VP/Academic candidate Mike Forde breathed a sigh of relief to find that he was the only candidate to take over the role from Paddy Rockett and would be deemed
elected unopposed due to an inability of the electronic ballot to provide for reopen of nominations. Tensions heightened even more as the scheduled meeting of candidates and campaign managers was delayed by 20 minutes as one potential candidate’s campaign manager was already under scrutiny from the ever vigilant ERB. The campaign manager left the building through the assembled teams followed by rumours varying from an incomplete application to forged names on the form, and so the race for DP/Welfare was left to two. Monday morning was the calm before the storm as teams made last minute alternatives for posters or t-shirts as Snap Printing had broken down, t-shirts were not delivered or on account of
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other unexpected early misfortunes. One thing for certain however, there was no shortage of sweets, lollipops or even strawberries. Nobody will give away free pain au chocolat though and get away with it on Red Raisin’s turf. Mark Nother’s presidential placards were very prominent around campus, quickly paired with Caroline Hennessy’s considerably smaller placards running the same colours as the current Welfare Officer’s winning campaign last year, leading to concerns that the SU may be endorsing a particular candidate. Students were brought down memory lane for another brief period as an emotive campaign team set up stall to re-elect ULSU President 2009-2011 Ruán Dillon McLoughlin. A short lived dream as they were quickly closed down due to fears, from the current President, of confusing the electorate. Campaign manager Oisín Bates was quoted as saying “Ah here lads”. Tuesday kicked off with a bit more life and the fine weather had the campaign teams out in force with treats, fliers and promises, ready for any passers-by who made eye contact with them. There was only one thing missing. Had Tommy Bolger dropped out, was he a joke candidate or was he still suffering from the weekend? He had posted a great video Monday afternoon, but that got taken down within minutes, and surely the ERB would not approve a campaign video which seemed to take the piss out of the role. And was that a l P16
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