Contact CU Independent Features Editor Maggie Wagner at magdalen.wagner@colorado.edu.
Update: Chancellor DiStefano announced Thursday the two disqualified Revolution candidates will be reinstated and the original election results will stand. Madalena DeAndrea, Marcus Fotenos and Colton Lyons will serve as Tri-Executives for the University of Colorado Student Government.
After reviewing the CUSG Appellate Court’s decision, Chancellor DiStefano said, “the processes were not administered in a manner that meets the high standards necessary to disqualify a prevailing candidate.”
He concluded his announcement by stating that in light of these events the CUSG election procedures are in need of review and will undergo revision over the next year.
Following Tuesday’s University of Colorado Student Government Appellate Court hearing regarding allegations made against the Revolution party, the justices of the court released their decision Thursday at noon; Revolution’s presidents-elect Colton Lyons and Marcus Fotenos are the first candidates in 110 years to have their seats disqualified.
At the hearing, the Ignite party and the Ally party were represented by Bridger Ruyle and Austin Rugh, respectively, and they made their case against Revolution. Revolution was represented by attorney Ryan Call. Following the hearing, Deputy Chief Justice Jordan Moliver delivered the unanimous opinion of the court.
Moliver explained that based on allegations regarding underrepresenting campaign expenditures, bribing the public with consumables and employment, and engaging in unauthorized tabling, the presidents-elect Lyons and Fotenos were awarded 13 infraction points each. According to the court, given that the election cap is 10 infractions, the 13 points against the presidents-elect constitute valid grounds for disqualification.
In his closing letter to the university, Chief Justice Steve Marcantonio wrote about the future of student government at the University of Colorado, urging Revolution to reach out to the people they had wronged and address those whom the party had alienated with its infractions.
“Now is the time to build coalitions, and to restore faith in this Student Government,” Marcantonio said in his letter. “Our existence is not guaranteed, and so many people rely on us for a voice.”
