The IU Student Government Supreme Court overturned a six-point penalty assessed by the IUSG Election Commission on the Inspire ticket Wednesday.
The commission previously assessed a six-point penalty on the Inspire ticket April 11 for using a list of contacts from the winning campaign last year. The commission said using a contact list from the current IUSG administration suggested they were sent on behalf of a current IUSG member, which is a violation of election rules, according to court documents.
The court disagreed with this interpretation and reversed the six-point penalty.
After Wednesday’s decision, the Inspire ticket has six total penalty points. This is the court’s second dispute this year between the Inspire ticket and the election commission. In an earlier case, the court asked the commission for re-evaluation, meaning the commission will rule again on those complaints with new information from the court.
If the election commission were to assess four or more points when they make that new decision, Inspire would remain disqualified.
Inspire’s six points come after the court affirmed a member of campaign staff violated a rule. In an interview with the Indiana Daily Student, IUSG Vice President Ruhan Syed — who also serves as the 2021 Inspire campaign manager — used the word “we” when he was answering questions about the campaign. The commission determined the communication could have caused a reasonable person to believe Inspire’s messaging was made or distributed on behalf of an IUSG official.
The court upheld this six-point penalty. If a campaign is assessed ten or more points, it is disqualified. The commission originally assessed 24 points to the Inspire ticket.
