Eric Lamar Rivers (CAS ‘02) resigned from the joint position of election commissioner and secretary of the Senior Class Committee last Tuesday. Rivers left to assume work as presidential election campaign manager for the Trey Street (SFS ‘03)-Dan Spector (SFS ‘04) platform.
According to Aaron Polkey, chair of the Senior Class Committee, the election commissioner enforces campaign rules for the Georgetown University Student Association election, including campaign finance, flyering and advertisements. The election commissioner also references the GUSA constitution to assist the candidates in their campaign.
Meg Kinnard (SFS ‘02) will replace Rivers as Election Commissioner for this year’s presidential election.
“We were all kind of upset that Eric resigned because he was far and away the best person for the election commissioner position. He’s the only one interested in reforming election bylaws. It’s sad losing someone like that, but Meg Kinnard is going to do a great job,” GUSA President Ryan DuBose (CAS ‘02) said.
According to Adi Kumar (CAS ‘03), a candidate in the upcoming election, some other campaigns are concerned with the “ethical effects” of Rivers’ decision to resign from his position as election commissioner.
“I personally think that the election commissioner should be the most fair and unbiased person on campus during an election. Clearly the former election commissioner working on someone’s campaign is a conflict of interests,” Kumar said.
Street and Rivers said that they have not heard of any direct criticism to the situation.
“I have heard of criticism, but I haven’t heard of a criticism that would amount to anything,” Rivers said.
According to Rivers and Street, Rivers’ former position does not give the Street-Spector platform any advantage in the election.
“I don’t see any valid criticism because it was impartial advice … He gave me the same kind of advice as the rest of them; he gave it straight from the constitution,” Street said.
