Who will oversee your student elections this year?

Jacqueline Perlin
Assistant News Editor
The most vital time of year has come to York once again.
Elections will be starting next week as candidate hopefuls line York hallways garnering signatures for their nominations. After a flood of controversy surrounding last year’s elections – especially with regards over the incumbent party’s hiring of the Chief Returning Office (CRO), Casey Chu Cheong – this year’s CRO is the first to be selected through the process of secret ballot.

After YFS bylaws underwent a number of changes earlier this year, including a change to the selection process of the CRO, Obinna Oraka, a fourth-year psychology student, was voted into the position.
The soft-spoken Oraka expressed his excitement over his new job, pointing out that he simply applied for the position to gain experience.
“I feel like it will be an excellent opportunity for me to further develop myself,” said Oraka, who added he believed he was a good fit for the position as he had worked as a poll clerk in both the 2008 and 2009 York student elections.
In a previous Excalibur article, Greg Kay, Schulich director for the YFS, pointed out that while Oraka – whose job it is to neutrally oversee the elections process – was voted into his position through secret ballot, YFS executive director Jeremy Salter ultimately dictated which candidates would be qualified to run for CRO.
Oraka was adamant in explaining he holds no particular bias toward any candidate.
“If anything, being a poll clerk has helped me prepare for the job that I have to do here,” said Oraka, who added poll clerks are always uninvolved in the politics of the elections.
When asked if he has had any previous interactions with Salter, Oraka pointed out that he had never interacted with anyone from the YFS, and that even now his interaction with the YFS is limited to conversations regarding funding for the election.
“I’m just one of the thousands of people who come to school and leave,” said Oraka, who made it clear that he was not hired by Salter and even pointed out the office of the CRO, has been changed from the YFS office to 431 Student Centre.
Salter confirmed the lack of interaction.
“To be honest, I haven’t had very much contact with him other than questions about where to find documents for what he needs to prepare,” he said.
Oraka stressed he will be following all rules and regulations set out for the candidates at the upcoming all-candidates meeting this coming March 4.
“What will be discussed is what is expected of the candidates and what [the candidates] are to expect of [the CRO],” said Oraka, who specifically referred to using the demerit point system outlined in the YFS bylaws.
So far, Oraka said no incidents have occurred during the nomination period but that he is monitoring everything very closely.
“It’s my job to enforce the bylaws, and that’s what I am going to be doing.”