Irvine : UCI Student Election Voided After Allegations

The results of last week’s student election at UC Irvine have been wiped out in the wake of allegations of ballot stuffing, which may have begun with the theft of student identification cards from a campus office last December, the university’s ombudsman said.

The Associated Students Board approved a new election Tuesday after hearing that about 450 of the approximately 2,400 votes cast had been made using false identification cards. The new election, which will be slightly less expensive than the first at $1,200, will be held May 16, according to Associated Students executive vice president David Young.

“I can see the motivation (for trying to fix the election),” said Young. “You’re running for president of the student body at the University of California. That could well be a ticket into a top law school or medical school and a well-paying job.”

Young said campus police reported a break-in at the registrar’s office in December in which boxes of student ID cards, were “disturbed.” Campus ombudsman Ron Wilson said he had information that one student had been seen with about 30 false IDs.

All candidates for the board’s five executive positions and 20 legislative council seats will be interviewed and all the ballots will be examined, said Wilson. “At this point, I can’t point to any coalition or specific campus group that’s involved,” he said.

The culprits could face suspension or expulsion. “The right to attend UCI is very important, but that right also means that you must follow certain regulations,” he said.

The alleged fraud was discovered Friday morning as Young and Election Commissioner John Dey were counting ballots cast Tuesday and Wednesday of last week. “We found out from some informants that there had been some tampering,” said Young. The results were tabulated but will not be released, he added.