On March 16, USG President Romual Jean-Baptiste and Vice President for Student Affairs Chinelo Onochie were both disqualified from running in the upcoming USG presidential election for placing advertisements for their own campaigns as part of the USG sponsored Tiki Barber lecture a few weeks ago. The illegal marketing on March 4th and 5th, according to the Elections Board Committee, violates several clauses in the USG Election Board By-Laws and USG Constitution.

Just prior the Election Board’s decision on March 16, Jean-Baptiste officially dropped out of the presidential race for personal reasons. Jean-Baptiste said, “Thinking over my decision to run for another term as president with family and friends, I have decided NOT to pursu[e] another term. Next year is my senior year and I would like to focus not only on my academics but also my Exit Plan, life after Stony Brook.”

Onochie’s name was terminated from the ballot by the fact that she is unable to be elected for the presidential election this year. Onochie has not entered the election for her current Executive Council position of Vice President of Academic Affairs.

According to a press release on March 17 by USG Elections Board Chair Max Sequiera, the Elections Board terminated Jean-Baptiste’s and Onochie’s names from the ballot “for the sake of the integrity of the elections.” Sequiera also believed that the USG Supreme Court should bring up both Onochie and Jean-Baptiste on judicial charges. However, considering that Onochie and Jean-Baptiste have already been disqualified from the race, the USG Supreme Court would now either uphold or overturn the decision of the Elections Board, without consequence in the upcoming election.

This recent development leaves only current Senator Joseph Antonelli on the USG presidential ballot for next semester. When asked to comment on the recent developments he said, “It is unfortunate that the President has dropped out of the race but I cannot say that it saddens me whatsoever.”