Darr runs for treasurer amid electoral confusion
Jackson Darr is running unopposed for treasurer in the ongoing SA elections, which are set to conclude March 6 after being delayed by ballot errors.
While the treasurer position was unfilled at the Feb. 6 campaign packet deadline, at the Feb. 10 Senate meeting, the director of elections Natalie Wang extended the deadline until Feb. 19 to collect petitions.
Although Darr submitted all the requisite campaign materials to Wang on Feb. 11, he said there was still confusion on whether he would be on the regular ballot.
While Darr does appear on the current ballot, it is unclear whether his candidacy was viable for the regular election. Bylaw 3103.2.1 states that “members of the Student Association who do not submit nominating petitions by the deadline may run as write-in candidates for any office for which they are eligible.”
On Feb. 24, SA secretary Chelsea Asibbey, released minutes for the Feb. 10 Senate, writing that the treasurer position would be filled via a special election.
However, in those minutes for the same Feb. 10 Senate, director of elections Natalie Wang said she would start “collecting positions starting tomorrow up until next Wednesday” for students interested in running for treasurer.
It is also unclear whether the director of elections can extend candidate deadlines for regular elections to waylay special elections.
If election regulations in the timeline are to be amended, in accordance with Bylaw 3102.1.4, they must be amended “only by a majority vote of the Senate.” Wang did not respond to request for comment.
Darr’s platform includes revitalizing the Hedgehopper cards, a 2008 SA program that allowed students to receive discounts on off-campus locations.
“It’s an older program where there was a card that students could purchase and it would give them access to discounts around the Houston Community,” Darr said. “I know Trevor [Tobey] has talked a lot about finding ways to bring discounts, to use in the community and get students outside of the hedges, so that’s definitely something I want to work on.”
Andrew Kim, the current Lovett president, said that he was impressed with Darr’s work as a Lovett SA new student representative. Editor’s Note: Andrew Kim is the Thresher’s Backpage editor.
“As NSR, he contributed to the SA’s report on justifications for raising the Blanket Tax and expanding Blanket Tax Organizations’ capacity to support student programming and wellbeing, and I have full faith that he has both the motivation and familiarity for the treasurer job,” Kim wrote in an email to the Thresher.
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