By Racy Rafique
This story will be updated with comment from vice president equity candidate Aya Bakir and Chief Returning Officer Adrian Aziz.
Vice president equity candidate Aya Bakir broke Toronto Metropolitan Students’ Union (TMSU) election bylaws by endorsing four candidates on the same webpage, according to a new election ruling released by the Chief Returning Officer (CRO) on March 24.
Bakir violated section section 8.3.7.1 of the TMSU’s Elections Procedures Code, which states that “unauthorized Cross-Campaigning within TMSU elections” can result in up to 25 demerit points. Bakir only received 15.
“The CRO has not granted the candidate permission to conduct cross campaigning,” said Chief Returning Officer (CRO) Adrian Aziz in TMSU Election Ruling 2023-009.
He stated that he received a screenshot indicating Bakir had endorsed four candidates on the same webpage online.
Aziz said Bakir have not registered as a slate in the election.
According to section 1.1 of the Elections Procedures Code, “Cross Campaigning” refers to “the sharing of Campaign Materials, slogans, methods, tactics, identifying marks or names, other material or joint Campaigning with the intent of associating two or more Candidates in the mind of a voter.”
It further states that “Slate” refers to “a group of eligible Candidates who have been approved to Cross-Campaign.”
Formerly, Bakir served as the Faculty of Arts director at the TMSU for the 2022-23 year.
More to come.
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