YFS Elections Rally

This seems to be the post that is easily found when you type "Kevin Morris" into google. So I wanted to mention right here that my blog has changed to http://kevinndmorris.wordpress.com/

Cheers!

I will be blogging at the rally with up to the minute feedback on what is happening. Please stay tuned!

9:45
My Netbook was giving a little bit of trouble but I'm up now.
Approximately 5 minutes ago I came and there are already 2 girls with a table sitting under the statue. Krisna came and shook their hands then proceeded up to his office with Mr Salter. Just now Krisna came down and is going to Treats I assume for his breakfast
There are now some supplies sitting on the table, looks like blue and yellow papers.

9:49
It seems what is sitting convinently under the statue is "Building Bridges to Accessible Education". Very interesting indeed. Krisna took his (I assume) coffee upstairs using the elevator.

9:51
There are now about 6 people under the statue, there is no way to tell if these people are truly wanting accessible education or if they are here for the imminent rally.

9:58
Shahbaz was seen walking down the stairs and heading out the North entrance of the student centre

10:00
York Security Services are starting to roam around the area under the statue.

10:01
There are now a good 10-15 people standing around under the statue. REMINDER rally starts at 10:30

10:02
YFS executive director and staff can be seen walking around under the statue
Head of Security along with other security services heading up the elevator.

10:03
Stacie Peart VP Campus Life can be seen going upstairs and the crowd around the statue dies down for the time being.

10:05
YFS Staff members set up a nice sign to make it a little more clear that what is sitting at the bottom of the stairs.
Reliable source says YFS execs are gathering upstairs.

10:11
Security Services are watching us from the third floor

10:14
People show up with megaphone, currently sitting on the sidelines. People show up with the YFS Resist shirt except it says "Resist YFS Tyranny"

10:20
Confirmed again that YFS executive members are still rallying upstairs.
VP Operations Steven Broadley can now be seen going into treats
Darshika went with him...

10:22
About 10-15 people are sitting at the sidelines.

10:24
More people are congregating.

10:30
People are gathering together and it seems like things are about to get started. Salter it staring down at us from the third floor.

10:34
Rally is getting started.
"Wanting to get their voice out" "Feel the process was undemocratic and therefore the election should be redone."

People can put in their opinions about the YFS Elections

There is a sign that says "CROs not CRIOUs"

Speak about Democracy and the background of the statue in the student centre.

10:36 -ongoing

"At this great moment what we need most is to remain calm and united for a single purpose...You are the symbol of everything on this campus...On the day when real democracy comes to York we want to ensure that it stays that way"

10:37
"Really concerned about how the elections were conducted"
"Voting is a right that we should always be proud to have, and he feels that right has been taken away from him."

10:38
Security sitting on sidelines watching
"We Believe this right (voting) should never be taken away from us"
"This is in response to two years of very undemocratic elections, in which the CRO was chosen by the incumbent party and this is really unacceptable. Here to reject the process and results of the election."

Reads off the letter that can be read on the New York website:
"Today the scrutineering team for the NEW YORK slate walked out at the beginning of ballot counting because our team refused to validate an undemocratic process. We took the decision to walk out of the counting room before the ballot boxes were opened, because regardless of the results that will emerge, the accumulated compromises to the election’s integrity makes it impossible to recognize any outcome.

The four major concerns that motivated the NEW YORK team to not validate the process are:

• The ballot boxes were not sealed properly. The ballot boxes were not sealed with a secure type of tape, as promised before the election. NEW YORK filed a formal concern about this with YFS election officials and we did not receive a response in advance of the beginning of ballot counting.
• Ballot boxes from Glendon had their integrity further compromised when YFS election officials did not make a sufficient effort to include NEW YORK scrutineers in the car bringing these boxes from Glendon to Keele.
• Dozens of discrepancies reported at polling stations to date include computer glitches, voters receiving too many ballots, voters not receiving enough ballots, and voters receiving the incorrect ballots for their faculty or college.
• The YFS elections officials are counting the councilor ballots before the appeal of disqualifications has been heard. If the election results are known before the appeal hearing, the elections committee, who were appointed by the incumbents, will be choosing the outcome of the election.

NEW YORK will not stop working to deliver to students the accountable government that they deserve.

We encourage students to take action themselves by contacting some of the people below if you are troubled by the democratic process at our school."

Chants "Democracy was stolen"

10:42
Cameras all over the place, people writing notes, but remember you can only get minute by minute feedback here!

10:43
"It is very unacceptable that people got disqualified for giving out excalibur."
The box is going to go up to the President's office

10:44
"Not a campaigner wasn't really involved other than voting. I am not happy with how things went down. I feel that handing out newspapers is not a reason to disqualify people. I feel this out of common sense. I feel that a newspaper is completely available on campus is not a reason to disqualify someone. Contaminating the voting process by putting the wrong type of tape is undemocratic. There are a lot of issues that should be addressed, and the newspapers is not one of them. This is an important issue and I'm going to write my opinion put it in that box and maybe someone will listen."

10:46
Cheers
"What do we want? A Fair Election, when do we want it? NOW!"

10:48
We are asking for the Admin's help on this issue.
"We asked for democracy and all we gets hypocracy"

10:49
"I'ma keep this short. I started in this election because a friend asked me too, and I stayed in it because I am mad. I feel like every day something went down that was not cool. I feel like noone cares. Everyone is doing all they can. I really want people to write in that box because that is the only way that people are listening."

10:50
signs up "Where is my vote"
more chants

10:51
"Give a little example of what happened. I went to vote last week and I only received 5 ballots. Students are supposed to receive 7. For a student who is unaware that they have the opportunity that they get to vote for 7 people, they lose out"

10:53
"We came here for a fair election, we came to Canada because we want to have fair elections." They proceeded singing O Canada. More chants for a fair election.

10:56
More than 26 minutes into the rally and there is no sign of any YFS people coming to respond.

10:57
"I talked to people and tried to see what they thought. One of them said Yeah it sucks but what do you expect from a York Election. This is supposed to be a time where we choose who our government is. I don't know about you, but I think it is a damn shame. If you don't think your vote doesn't make a difference then that is a shame."

11:01
Approximately 30-40 people showed up. and they are now sitting in a circle by the
statue.

11:02
"I think my vote did not count whatsoever. I feel there could have been a change. Our vote did not come out and this is a shame"

11:03
"Where's my vote" chants.

11:06
Simple question.
Were you happy with the election?
NO
Are any of you happy with the current exec?
NO

11:07
"I'm distressed. I see alot of people just do not care. Alot of people just accept what we are fighting against. The Majority of you don't think it is fair. The only way that we are going to make change is by fighting for it like this. Write down your opinions on a paper and put it into that box. If you don't care nobody else will!"
-overheard- this is something like what you would expect from a third world country, not a Canadian University

more chants "Wheres my vote!"

11:12
"Going over to the President's Office to give him the box. So if you haven't expressed your opinion I encourage you to do it. If you want your voice heard, that is a good way to do it"

11:14
"I don't know what the definition is for election. But I think it has to do with electing someone, but we didn't get a chance to do that. But disqualfying 16 out of 21 people that I voted for is wrong. A bunch of people didn't get their voices heard"

11:16
They have invited members of New York and members of Students First to speak about this issue.

11:23
Going around and asking people what they thought about how this election was conducted.

11:29
"I'm not sure you realize this. No one realizes how much power we have."

11:32
It is clear that their message is that they want a fair election.

11:34
"Canada is supposed to support democracy and I think it is wonderful. Thank you for holding that flag proudly"

Thank you everyone from coming out and/or reading. Be sure to post comments.

For more information about the Rally visit: YFS Election Rally