The declaration of candidacy period for the 2016 FAMU Student Body Fall Elections has been delayed for the second time.
After the initial postponement of the original election schedule, set to begin on Sept. 6, the revised election schedule has also been delayed.
According to the System of Student Body Statutes, declaration of candidacy is supposed to begin on the third week of the fall semester, which was Sept. 5. Deputy electoral commissioner Kierra Clinch cited the lack of Quorum of the Student Supreme Court as the reason for the setbacks.
According to Clinch, elections are halted until further notice, and the Electoral Commission will notify the student body of the new dates after confirmation that the Student Supreme Court has quorum. The court is currently lacking one member to meet its five-member minimum to conduct business.
Electoral Commissioner Adrienne Floyd released a revised fall election schedule on Sept. 12, which stated that the declaration of candidacy period would begin Sept. 19 and that run-off elections will be held Oct.13. She now worries that the delays will push elections into Homecoming Week.
“This is truly a disservice,” Floyd said. “If we keep pushing back the dates, it is going to interfere with the new (freshman and graduate) attendant’s coronation."
Floyd noted that with the current schedule, the new attendants already only have two days to prepare for coronation after elections are over.
SGA President Jaylen Smith has already made three new appointees of the court, however they are still pending confirmation by the student senate.
Floyd asked Student Senate President Brandon Johnson to call an emergency senate meeting on Sunday night to confirm the appointees. Johnson responded that the senate would not have had enough members present to meet a quorum themselves, as many traveled to The Fifth Quarter Classic in Mobile, Ala. this past weekend.
Clinch stated that she feels as though the student senate is not doing enough to ensure that elections proceed in a timely manner.
“I don’t believe there is an urgency for student leaders to go through the necessary steps to appoint and confirm individuals," Clinch said. "They are being a disservice to future student leaders.”
The Judicial and Rules Committee of the student senate is responsible for vetting all appointees to the Student Supreme Court. Committee Chairwoman Benoushkah Joseph admits that her committee failed to meet at their regular meeting time last week to interview the potential judges, but states that she went above and beyond in attempt to rectify the situation.
“We tried our best to set alternate times for the committee to vet the appointees, and were successful with two of the three. However, due to class conflicts and travel, we were unable to meet with one," Joseph said.
The Judicial and Rules Committee will meet with the remaining appointee, and all three appointees will appear before the full senate for confirmation in a special meeting Wednesday.
Commissioner Floyd also plans to address the senate to attempt to work out a resolution and set a final schedule for the fall election schedule.