The Marquette Student Government Elections Committee ruled Tuesday night that the campaign of Will Knight and Dan Bresnahan did violate election rules when one of its campaign workers sent out a text message urging recipients to vote for Knight and Bresnahan for MUSG president and executive vice president in last week’s primary election.
Knight, a junior in the College of Arts & Sciences, and Bresnahan, a junior in the College of Business Administration, were docked 5 percent, or 17 votes, of their primary vote total. The ticket’s new total of 326 votes moves them behind the ticket of Sam Schultz and Zach Bowman, who originally lost to Knight and Bresnahan by 7 votes in the primary with 336 votes. Schultz is a junior in the College of Arts & Sciences; Bowman is a sophomore in the College of Arts & Sciences.
“I think it’s disappointing to lose on a technicality,” Bresnahan said.
The committee ruled that the text message violated MUSG Election rule section 7B-8, which states that the “distribution of unsolicited mass email or electronic messages” is prohibited during a campaign.
Knight and Bresnahan talked to the campaign worker who sent out the text and to the people the text was sent to. Twenty-two recipients signed a form stating that the text was solicited.
Schultz and Bowman, who had not yet been contacted about the ruling by MUSG when they learned the result, said they are cautiously moving forward pending the outcome of a possible appeal.
“Should the ruling stand, we are excited to be back in the race,” Bowman said.
Knight and Bresnahan plan to appeal the committee ruling and the punishment handed down. They have until 6 p.m. Wednesday to file an appeal.
According to an MUSG press release on the decision, past election rule violations have resulted in vote deductions of five percent in 2008 and 10 percent in 2005.
MUSG Elections Committee Chairman Dave Kuester said he was unable to comment at this time.
TruthTaco • Mar 28, 2013 at 10:32 pm
Obama ruins everything doesn’t he?
Dan Bresnahan • Mar 27, 2013 at 1:01 pm
Hey everyone. I am as disappointed in the way this election has turned out as anyone, but try to remember to be respectful and think before posting. Bowman is a great kid and as he mentioned we have developed a good relationship post-election. He lost graciously last Friday and now unfortunately it is Will and I’s turn to lose. If he and Sam are elected MUSG will be in good hands. It is frustrating that the election was decided in this manner, especially for the voters, who in general probably don’t even know who is on the final ballot at this point. Just try to be respectful in your criticisms and don’t say anything you’ll regret.
Diversity • Mar 27, 2013 at 2:33 pm
Well Dan I was going to vote for you but after that cowardly post I’m glad your ticket got pulled you big bearded clam.
Arica Van Boxtel • Mar 27, 2013 at 11:17 am
Hi everyone, I am the current MUSG president. I realize that by posting this I am
opening the door for a lot of negative comments, but it is my job to address
student concerns, especially with the way MUSG handles something. It is tough
to read these comments and know that I am unable to reach out to many who have
posted because the names and contact information is anonymous. MUSG has been
doing all it can to ensure a fair election process. I would not want to be a
part of an organization, MUSG or otherwise, that did not follow its own
constitution or a fair process. For those who have posted and are concerned,
please do not hesitate to talk to me. I am on campus until Thursday or you can
always send an email to my account – [email protected].
Zachary Bowman • Mar 27, 2013 at 1:37 am
So I’m the real Zach Bowman… I don’t know why some of you seem to be under the impression that I’m the one pushing for this violation to be upheld. Obviously my interests are at stake, but the violation was submitted by someone that I’ve never met and doesn’t even support my ticket, and neither Sam nor I even know who is on the elections committee besides Kuester. The fact that this minor infraction could end up effecting their candidacy is just the result of having only 17% of the student body turn out. In case you didn’t know, Knight/Bres and I were separated by 7 votes. It’s bullshit that this is the result, but the elections committee is just sticking with precedent. Knight/Bres and I have actually developed a great working relationship post-election, so I hope that some of you can reconsider your misdirected anger. I’m no MUSG poster boy. I’ve been involved with it for less than a year and I think it’s absolutely awful. That’s why Sam and I ran and I’m pretty sure that’s why Knight/Bres did too.
Reality • Mar 27, 2013 at 1:18 am
If you think that MUSG took off 5% to “happen” to put Knight/Bresnahan below Bowman/Schick, then you’re lying to yourself. They were off by less than 1% in the primary and by violating a simply stated rule in the Constitution, they deserved the 5% STANDARD deduction for said violation.
If you agree that some kid named William that decides all of a sudden to go by “Dick” for the sake of self-promotion and a sales pitch deserves to win, so be it, but then you are voting for the sake of popularity and a ploy, rather than the government of it all. We need people who will promote real change and implement honest and significant legislation for the improvement of our school, not a “dick.”
Bowman's Buddy • Mar 27, 2013 at 1:26 am
Not If “Dick”‘s middle name is Richard and that’s what friends have called him for years. I’m sensing a complete inferiority complex here. If your so-called “real change” and “significant legislation” was worth a damn, how is it that you ended up with fewer votes than the “self-promotion” of a simple name? What MUSG needs is a Pres/VP to get students to actually give a damn. When only 17% of the student body votes in these elections, even the best of ideas fall on deaf ears.
ZBowman4Lyfe • Mar 27, 2013 at 1:04 am
if you guys like rusty trombones and Cleveland Steamrollers than vote
for us. Unlike the Bresnahan-Knight Party, Schultz and I like to
organize many events around Campus…unfortunately, our last one
involving the basketball team hit a bit of a legal bump..But i swear
this time we got it down!
THE MIGHTY DINIO • Mar 27, 2013 at 12:58 am
Glad to see that MUSG is open to new ideas and candidates by removing the only ticket with a fresh perspective on how to change things around here. Now we have to deal with a bunch of kids who have “experience”, which most likely means nothing is going to happen. Really makes people start to believe MUSG is some sort of dictatorship, refusing to allow Marquette’s students a chance at picking their personal choice for government leaders. And a big thanks to MUTV and [Name] for spilling THE STORY OF THE CENTURY OMG YOU GUYS GOT EM GOOD WORK. Pathetic….
The Truth • Mar 26, 2013 at 11:27 pm
They’re trying to get some small geared losers in the office by docking the biggest cocks to hit milwaukee since the wright brothers in ’47 5% of the votes. Unfortunately for bowman who couldn’t tell his arm from a coat hanger, he will be back in his apartment come post election reading up on People’s Magazine and singing along to My Sacrifice by Creed, while Bresnahan and Knight are in office flexin on the student body.
the more accurate truth • Mar 27, 2013 at 12:43 am
youre a douche.
Zach Bowman • Mar 27, 2013 at 12:55 am
if you guys like rusty trombones and Cleveland Steamrollers than vote for us. Unlike the Bresnahan-Knight Party, Schultz and I like to organize many events around Campus…unfortunately, our last one involving the basketball team hit a bit of a legal bump..But i swear this time we got it down!
Zach Bowman • Mar 27, 2013 at 1:02 am
I agree with The Truth – if you guys like rusty trombones and Cleveland Steamrollers than vote
for us. Unlike the Bresnahan-Knight Party, Schultz and I like to
organize many events around Campus…unfortunately, our last one
involving the basketball team hit a bit of a legal bump..But i swear
this time we got it down!
Bowman's Buddy • Mar 27, 2013 at 1:14 am
MUSG is a complete joke. What they’re doing is blatantly obvious. They groom students like Bowman/Schultz/Tarpey (don’t get me started with her)/ Shick from freshman year on to carry out their dumbass plans. And no students give two shits because, as I previously stated, MUSG is a complete joke. But now that an Average Joe ticket comes along, now all of a sudden “problems” get found out? The same voting site they’ve used in the past is wrong? ONE GIRL complains about receiving a text and they lose just enough votes to be knocked off the ballot? As if all of these tickets didn’t alert all of their friends to vote via texting? Bowman’s just bitter…..and can’t tell the difference between his head and his ass.
Sam • Mar 27, 2013 at 1:55 am
You keep using the word “than” wrong, but, you know, writing it twice made it way funnier. Also, youre a douchebag.
Mike the ripper • Mar 27, 2013 at 10:27 am
How can we vote for a VP/Pres if they can’t even distinguish the difference between Than and Then?
Mike is an Idiot • Mar 27, 2013 at 11:27 am
you actually think that comment was posted by a candidate?
Mike is an idiot • Mar 27, 2013 at 3:02 pm
Here’s for you, Ripper
Sam • Mar 28, 2013 at 2:44 pm
no, I don’t.
Nuger • Mar 27, 2013 at 1:57 am
Quit using “than” wrong. Writing this twice made it way funnier. Anyway, you’re a douche bag.
Triz • Mar 26, 2013 at 11:22 pm
I was going to go to Marquette simply because they are notorious for having the best student government in the country. Guess I was wrong. Looks like ill be taking my talents to The University of Oakton Des Plaines next year where racism is a non-issue, as it was, evidently, a key factor in this decision.
Jmack • Mar 26, 2013 at 11:55 pm
Im with you. My new screen name is need4Oakton00
tell it how it is • Mar 26, 2013 at 10:01 pm
first the “error with the voting system” and now outing them on technicallities. definitely some BULLLLSH**TTT #MUSGconspiracy2013
tell it how it is • Mar 26, 2013 at 10:10 pm
when was the last time there was an error in the system. It was about the simplest database there is, an intro to IT student could have created it with ease. piss poor excuse. and im sure all the other canididates were breaking the same rules
Jimbo F***ing Ford • Mar 26, 2013 at 9:55 pm
This decision is an insult to the student body of Marquette. Just enough votes were vacated from the Knight/Bresnahan ticket to allow the next pair of Schultz and Bowman into the final election. 22 of 23 people that received the text said that it was solicited. So, what this primary election came down to was one unsolicited text message. One single text from one girl to another. Potentially, one vote. So why vacate 5% of their votes rather than just that one? This result is an example of MUSG systematically removing Knight/Bresnahan from the final election. That is Grade A bullshit.
RayBerko • Mar 26, 2013 at 10:06 pm
The article said that twenty-two recipients signed the form. That means that at least twenty-two people received that text…not just one.
Conspiracy • Mar 26, 2013 at 10:36 pm
only unsolicited texts are a violation. it was solicited by 22 of 23 people. unsolicited by one.
MUSG IS A JOKE • Mar 27, 2013 at 1:04 am
dumbass ^^
Willuminati • Mar 26, 2013 at 9:45 pm
musg trying to keep these kids out of office. damn shame.. These two would have changed things around here