Keune ?les, drops lawsuit

A student body president candidate has already filed — and withdrawn — a lawsuit against the Board of Elections chairman since election season officially began Tuesday.

In a lawsuit filed Tuesday, candidate Nash Keune took Board of Elections Chairman Peter Gillooly to task for announcing a policy later than the deadline stated in the Student Code, which outlines election law.

The lawsuit, which was withdrawn Thursday, highlights increasing candidate concern regarding the board’s capability to run an efficient election.

Candidate Joe Levin-Manning also expressed frustration Tuesday, at the board’s late decision to alter policy regarding campaign signs.

Monique Hardin, Hogan Medlin, Shruti Shah and Gregory Strompolos are also running for student body president.

The complaint centered on a policy regarding “dormstorming,” an informal term for solicitation of support inside residence halls.

Candidates for student body president and Carolina Athletic Association president must gather 1,000 signatures by 5 p.m. Tuesday to get on the ballot.

The solicitation policy was set by the Department of Housing and Residential Education in the 1980s, but Board of Elections chairmen have interpreted it differently.

Last year, the board prohibited candidates from dormstorming during the one-week petition period. But at Tuesday’s mandatory candidate meeting, Gillooly announced that the housing department will allow limited dormstorming for the entire election season.

Keune’s lawsuit pointed to a Student Code mandate that the Board of Elections must inform candidates of any residence hall regulations no later than the last day of classes of the fall semester. Gillooly posted the policy Jan. 11.

“I really don’t see all the damage they’re claiming,” Gillooly said. “This has been the policy for years now. It hasn’t changed.”

Gillooly added he did not recall what the policy was last year.

Christopher Jones, Keune’s chief of staff, said he thinks Gillooly acted “completely improperly” and should have announced the policy earlier.

Keune dropped the suit when he learned the policy was determined by the housing department, which is outside of the Student Supreme Court’s jurisdiction.

Stephen Estes, Keune’s campaign manager, said they dropped the lawsuit because the court’s ultimate decision would have come too late to have much impact on the election.

Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.