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Ref
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Nature of complaint
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Evidence provided
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Actions and resolution
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1
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Negative personal campaigning: sabotaging campaigns
Asked an individual to unlike campaign pages of another candidate on Facebook
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Screenshots of messenger chats
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Candidate met with DRO
Verbal warning issued
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2
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Attempting to coerce votes
Campaigning too close to polling station(s)
Candidate alleged to have made efforts to “infringe ability to talk to people” by interrupting conversations
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Candidate contacted by DRO via email
No further action taken
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3
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Other: Candidate accused of telling voters not to give second preferences
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Candidate contacted by DRO via email
No further action taken
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4
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Violation not selected:
Complaint relating to conduct of campaign team members
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Candidate contacted by DRO via email and candidate asked to provide response via email due to non-attendance of DRO at the time.
Written warning issued
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5
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Other: Complaint relating to Facebook messages
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Complainant contacted by DRO via email due to no violation
No further action being taken
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6
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Attempting to coerce votes
Negative personal campaigning
Candidate encouraging students to vote for RON in other categories
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Candidate contacted by DRO via email
No further action taken although serious action would be taken if further allegations were received based on compromising the integrity of the elections
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7
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Negative personal campaigning
Other
Complaint relating to alleged conduct and racial discrimination
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The candidates this relates to were spoken to by the CEO
The racial discrimination was not based on the complaint but a ruling of the DRO so no further action taken on that point expect to communicate this more clearly with the candidates.
Candidate met with DRO and Election Official. DRO issued a written warning
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8
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Campaigning too close to polling station(s)
Alleged crossing of campaign line boundary
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Photos sent to DRO
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Candidate met with DRO and Election Official. DRO and Returning Officer have issued a final written warning
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9
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Query: posting of photo with election staff on social media
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Photo sent to DRO
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Staff (non-Union) reminded of roles during the elections
No further action taken
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10
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Intimidation of fellow candidates / campaigners / students / staff
Campaigning too close to polling station(s)
Other
Boundary breaches and aggressive nature; alleged intimidation from a member of the campaigns team
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Candidate met with DRO
Verbal warning issued based on the threat of violence, whether intentional or otherwise
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11
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Miscoded
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12
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Intimidation of fellow candidates / campaigners / students / staff
Negative personal campaigning
Other
Alleged grabbing of voters and forcing handshakes
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Candidate met with DRO and Election Official. DRO and Returning Officer have issued a final written warning
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13
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Attempting to coerce votes
Intimidation of fellow candidates / campaigners / students / staff
Campaigning too close to polling station(s)
Disposal of other candidates’ publicity materials from voters hands
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Candidate met with DRO and Election Official. DRO and Returning Officer have issued a final written warning
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14
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Intimidation of fellow candidates / campaigners / students / staff
Alleged aggression towards another candidate.
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Seen by others
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Candidate met with DRO and Election Official. DRO and Returning Officer have issued a final written warning
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15
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Attempting to coerce votes
Intimidation of fellow candidates / campaigners / students / staff
Informing voters not to engage with particular candidate, interrupting conversations, removal of other candidates’ publicity materials from voters’ hands, encouraging voters to vote RON in other categories
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Candidate met with DRO and Election Official. DRO and Returning Officer have issued a final written warning
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16
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Negative personal campaigning
Other
Dismissive of a rival candidate’s policies, discussions about the benefits of re-electing candidates, aggression towards another campaign team, interrupting conversations; encouraging voters not to use preferential voting.
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Candidate met with DRO and Election Official. DRO issued a written warning
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17
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Other: Discussions about the benefits of re-electing candidates
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Candidate met with DRO and Election Official. DRO issued a written warning
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18
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Campaign materials suggest slander against an individual / organisation
Alleged accusations about making derogatory comments about another candidate
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Candidate met with DRO and Election Official. DRO issued a written warning
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*1*
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STAFF COMPLAINT
Attempting to coerce votes
Intimidation of fellow candidates / campaigners / students / staff
Getting voters to move away from the polling station to engage in conversation about their particular campaign. On occasion the candidate blocked the potential voter from re-entering the voting space.
This behaviour was witnessed on several occasions and the candidate was spoken to but continued to do so.
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Complainant advised by DRO not to submit complaint due to candidate potentially becoming a Trustee and suggested this was submitted by another witness which happened and was investigated.
The RO was made aware of this omission and undertook their own investigation.
The RO decided that, had this been received at the appropriate time, the candidate wold have been issued with a written warning, however as the candidate had already received a final written warning, this incident meant the RO took the decision to apply a retrospective penalty meaning the candidate was withdrawn.
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19
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Attempting to coerce votes
Campaigning too close to polling station(s)
Getting voters to move away from the polling station – sometimes whilst in it - to engage in conversation about their particular campaign
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Candidate met with DRO and Election Official. DRO issued a written warning
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20
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Intimidation of fellow candidates / campaigners / students / staff
Directly asked “have you got a problem with me?”; getting voters to move away from the polling station – sometimes whilst in it - to engage in conversation about their particular campaign; invasion of personal space
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Candidate met with DRO and Election Official. DRO issued a written warning
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21
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Attempting to coerce votes
Intimidation of fellow candidates / campaigners / students / staff
Other
Candidate 1: Invasion of personal space speaking over this individual, interrupting conversation
Candidate 2: Interrupting conversation, invasion of personal space, knowingly told a voter if they voted for them, they were required to vote for another candidate in another category
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Candidate 1 met with DRO and Election Official. DRO issued a written warning
Candidate 2 met with DRO and Election Official. DRO issued a final written warning
Reference to third candidate however complaint was based on associated partners and nothing specifically related to individual so no further action was taken against them
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22
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Intimidation of students
In conversation the candidate said “you already know who you are voter for, don’t’ vote for them” followed by “I’m 100% forcing him, I’m twisting his arm under duress” whilst laughing
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Candidate met with DRO and Election Official. DRO issued a written warning
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23
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Intimidation of fellow candidates / campaigners / students / staff
Campaigning too close to polling station(s)
Other
Getting voters to move away from the polling station – sometimes whilst in it - to engage in conversation about their particular campaign; knowingly told a voter if they voted for them, they were required to vote for another candidate in another category
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Candidate met with DRO and Election Official. DRO issued a written warning
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24
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Intimidation of fellow candidates / campaigners / students / staff
Other
Shoulder-barged a campaigner who was about to speak to a student; was not able to speak to them although candidate did
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Candidate met with DRO and Election Official. DRO issued a final written warning subject to accumulated complaints
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25
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Attempting to coerce votes
Intimidation of fellow candidates / campaigners / students / staff
On multiple occasions, this individual’s campaign team are alleged to have display intimidating and hostile behaviour and prevented other candidates engaging in conversation with students as they have walked them to the line.
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Candidate met with DRO and Election Official. DRO issued a written warning
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26
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Attempting to coerce votes
Intimidation of fellow candidates / campaigners / students / staff
Negative personal campaigning
Alleged accusations about making derogatory comments about another candidate; tried to prevent other candidates engaging in conversation with potential voters; a member of the candidate’s campaign team allegedly called another candidate racist
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Candidate met with DRO and Election Official. DRO issued a written warning
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27
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- Query: Friend received an email
- Received the email personally
Email was from casttherightvote@gmail.com with the name DMUStudents VotingAdvice. Instructed students to vote in the last day of elections. Suggested voting for five named full time Officers and implied these were the right individuals to provide strong leadership for the Union. Gave students the opportunity to read all manifestos
Complaint is based on this looking as though it was sent from an official source; content is misleading and provides an unfair advantage to those named, whether knowledgeable or not; invasion of privacy
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Forwarded a copy of the email
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DRO replied to the email to the address (08.03.2020) to ascertain some information and provide some reflections, currently remains unanswered:
The "name", "DMUStudents VotingAdvice", indicates an official group with permission to contact students.
Candidates have been asked to share any materials in advance with the Student Voice team so we are aware of who these messages are being sent to in case of complaints.
Can you confirm the source of this email list I assume or indicate how many students were sent this.
Not too concerned by the content of the message as similar to society endorsement but may receive complaints relating to a data breach; what list were they taken from? Were these individuals blind copied into the email?
The slogan "cast the right vote" is a matter of personal opinion and potentially slanderous to candidates you fail to acknowledge although I appreciate that reference is given to the manifestos being available online.
Misleading: Officers' salaries are paid by students
Who is the “we” in the following statement “after much research, these are the candidates "we" believe you should vote for”?
No further action until a response is received
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28
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Other: Candidate and “campaign team” posted on a large international group chat encouraging students to vote for them; believes students voted as a result
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Incident investigation, permission given to campaign on the group, no further action required
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29
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Intimidation of fellow candidates / campaigners / students / staff
Interrupting whilst talking to potential voters; invasion of personal space
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No further action relating to this specific complaint as candidate has previously been spoken to regarding these accusations and would not have had the opportunity to amend behaviour prior to the receipt of this complaint; candidate previously received sanction for such behaviours
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30
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Attempting to coerce votes
An endorsement for the candidate appeared on DMU Instagram over the weekend; the intention of the post was to represent the University. Informed that the candidate would only attend the event if they agreed to endorse them.
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The DRO spoke to the complainant and the candidate separately. The event had not taken place at the time of the complaint and there seemed to be some misunderstanding about the endorsement and the candidate. The candidate argued that this was an event that they would attend regardless of whether they received the endorsement; the event was limited, the endorsement was not given and consequently no further action was taken based on no regulations being broken or no advantage gained
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31
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Other: homophobic insult
A member of the candidate’s campaigns team was referred to as a “lezza”
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The DRO spoke to the complainant and the candidate separately. She informed the complainant that the candidate had denied saying this and was unaware of what it actually meant. In agreement with the RO, without additional witnesses the DRO felt it was difficult to investigate further; the complainant understood and was satisfied that the candidate had been spoken to about such behaviour. No further action
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32
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Violation not selected:
A member of the candidates’ campaign team led a confrontation with another candidate; restricting access to voters which has happened on a number of occasions
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No further action relating to this specific complaint as candidate has previously been spoken to regarding these accusations and would not have had the opportunity to amend behaviour prior to the receipt of this complaint; candidate previously received sanction for such behaviours
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*2*
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THIS COMPLAINT WAS RECEIVED IN PERSON
The complainant had previously expressed concerns and had submitted a complaint regarding the physical proximity that one candidate continued to ignore despite being spoken to about it, by individuals and the DRO.
She was visibly distressed and felt that the behaviour was increasingly becoming more sexualised. She spoke of the invasion of body space and unwanted mannerisms that made her feel particularly uncomfortable.
She engaged students in conversation and the candidate would enter that conversation; when she moved away she alleges the candidate followed her.
She was going to speak to Security as she felt fearful.
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The DRO immediately went to speak to the candidate and as a result of that conversation they were issued with a final written warning.
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33
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Attempting to coerce votes
Intimidation of fellow candidates / campaigners / students / staff
Repeatedly invading personal space; attempted to force campaign material into voters’ pockets; witnessed them being aggressive and intimidating towards other candidates, their campaigns teams and voters; has attempted to bully complainant into stopping campaigning for one individual to campaign for another (not themselves); interrupts conversations and speaks over complainant; spoken badly about another candidate
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The candidate has previously been spoken to regarding most of these accusations and would not have had the opportunity to amend behaviour prior to the receipt of this complaint; candidate previously received sanction for such behaviours
Candidate will be informed of additional points within the complaint however no further action will be taken
Complainant has been advised to raise this with DMU as aspects of this complaint are not related to the elections and cannot be investigated within the election regulations
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34
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Intimidation of fellow candidates / campaigners / students / staff
Forcefully speaking over complainant; intimidating approach – invasion of personal space on a number of occasions
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No further action relating to this specific complaint as candidate has previously been spoken to regarding these accusations and would not have had the opportunity to amend behaviour prior to the receipt of this complaint; candidate previously received sanction for such behaviours
Complainant has been advised to raise this with DMU as aspects of this complaint are not related to the elections and cannot be investigated within the election regulations
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35
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Intimidation of fellow candidates / campaigners / students / staff
Other
Invasion of personal space and making candidate and other candidates feel uncomfortable, attempted to initiate physical contact and has made sexual comments / gestures
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No further action relating to this specific complaint as candidate has previously been spoken to regarding these accusations and would not have had the opportunity to amend behaviour prior to the receipt of this complaint; candidate previously received sanction for such behaviours
Complainant has been advised to raise this with DMU as aspects of this complaint are not related to the elections and cannot be investigated within the election regulations
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36
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Intimidation of fellow candidates / campaigners / students / staff
Other
Made to feel uncomfortable, routinely makes unwanted sexual comments and looks the individual up and down, licking his lips and saying “you look good”; initiated unwanted physical contact; interrupting and speaking over individual
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No further action relating to this specific complaint as candidate has previously been spoken to regarding these accusations and would not have had the opportunity to amend behaviour prior to the receipt of this complaint; candidate previously received sanction for such behaviours
Complainant has been advised to raise this with DMU as aspects of this complaint are not related to the elections and cannot be investigated within the election regulations
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