Will Won't
CHARLOTTE KEENAN IS to be President-Elect of the Oxford Union, after her sole opponent missed the deadline for nominations by a matter of seconds.
Will Charles, current Treasurer, turned up "about a minute and a half too late", according to Returning Officer Matthew Taylor. His candidature was accordingly disallowed. Keenan now stands unopposed for the post, which was previously expected to be a close battle. As Union elections do not include a RON (re-open nominations) option, she is already openly referred to as the "incoming President-Elect".
Ironically, Charles is believed to have been in the Union buildings when the deadline passed at 9.30pm. Rumours already abound about actual events. Taylor claims that he arrived "clutching his manifesto" at the General Office, where his nomination was declared invalid after the speaking clock revealed the hour to have passed. However, other sources told the OxStu that Charles "sauntered down the stairs declaring 'here comes the Kaiser'". It has also been said that, on hearing the news, he claimed, "They can't have closed - I haven't nominated yet."
Although Keenan will not officially be President-Elect until the election on Friday, there is no chance that Charles will appeal. Union insiders have rejected an idea that, as official "Oxford time" - as dictated by Christ Church's Tom Tower - runs five minutes late, Charles was in fact within the limit. Several students have already expressed anger that there will be no choice on Friday. One member commented "I'm not happy - I think there should be a RON option. I'd like to have a say in who becomes President."
The Union is now the only University institution to not offer a RON option to its electorate. OUSU has altered its electoral rules to provide a RON option for elections in Michaelmas, and it is by no means unheard of for a candidate to be RON-ed. In the past year, at least two colleges have required a second opening of nominations.
It is not known exactly why Charles did not choose to nominate earlier, even though he was already in the building. However, it continues a trend of Union candidates, particularly for President, nominating at the last minute. Press Officer Daniel Johnson commented, "It's a shame that candidates consistently nominate late, when this obviously prejudices their chance to ensure all nomination details are correct." Another Union member was less reserved, however. "It's because they're cretins." Neither Charles nor Keenan could comment, being bound by Union regulations.
Charles was in fact within the limit. Several students have already expressed anger that there will be no choice on Friday. One member commented "I'm not happy - I think there should be a RON option. I'd like to have a say in who becomes President."
The Union is now the only University institution to not offer a RON option to its electorate. OUSU has altered its electoral rules to provide a RON option for elections in Michaelmas, and it is by no means unheard of for a candidate to be RONed. In the past year, at least two colleges have required a second opening of nominations.
It is not known exactly why Charles did not choose to nominate earlier, even though he was already in the building. However, it continues a trend of Union candidates, particularly for President, nominating at the last minute. Press Officer Daniel Johnson commented, "It's a shame that candidates consistently nominate late, when this obviously prejudices their chance to ensure all nomination details are correct." Another Union member was less reserved, however: "It's because they're cretins." Neither Charles nor Keenan could comment, being bound by Union regulations.
8th Jun 2001