COMPLAINTS AND APPEALS
The process for complaints and appeals within the UVSS has changed as a result of a vote of the UVic students at an Annual General Meeting. In order to separate the student body from any potential conflict of interest, the Constitution and Bylaws and the Electoral Policy Manual outline the desire to run an impartial election. The UVSS Elections Office is responsible for the day to day operations of the Elections (planning, polling, hiring etc.) and is the contact for interacting with students and candidates during the elections process.
If a student alleges that a candidate has done something that contravenes the UVSS Electoral Policy Manual or the Constitution and Bylaws, he or she can submit a complaint to the Elections Office. The independent Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) will investigate the complaint and make a ruling. If either the Complainant or the Respondent are not satisfied with the decision of the CEO, the decision can be appealed to the independent Elections Adjudicator (EA) within one business day. The EA will investigate the appeal and make a final ruling. Again, if either of the two parties involved are not satisfied with the decision of the EA, they can appeal to the Arbitration Panel (a committee of three independent individuals) within one business day. The Arbitration Panel will investigate the appeal of the EA and make a ruling. The decision of the Arbitration Panel is final.
A copy of all of the forms required for submission during the complaints and appeals process can be found on our 'Elections Forms' page.