On Saturday UA President Judy Bonner issued a statement regarding allegations of voter fraud by UA students. Bonner told students, faculty and staff in an emailed statement that the University would await the outcome of court proceedings and possible municipal and state investigations before taking actions or launching its own investigation.
On Tuesday, Aug. 27, the city of Tuscaloosa held its municipal elections to decide several city government positions, including city council and Board of Education seats. While many of the races were close, two seats in particular have gained a great deal of attention. Cason Kirby, a Tuscaloosa lawyer and and former SGA president at The University of Alabama, defeated incumbent candidate Kelly Horwitz by a margin of 72 votes for the District 4 seat on the Tuscaloosa City Board of Education. Lee Garrison, also a UA alum, defeated Denise Hills by a margin of 203 votes.
Controversy has surrounded the two races as accusations of voter fraud and illegalities have emerged in recent days. Reports include one by WVUA, stating that 10 UA students registered to vote in a single family home and “incentives” being offered to members of sororities in return for going to vote for Kirby and Garrison.
After a week of no response from the UA administration, the CW Editorial Board called for a response.
Bonner’s emailed statement is published in its entirety below:
Even though the Aug. 27 municipal elections are over and the City has certified the winners, I have had some questions about the response and reaction of the University administration regarding the allegations of voter fraud by UA students.
As you know, one of the candidates has filed a lawsuit challenging the results. It’s important to remember that a municipal election is administered by the City of Tuscaloosa and governed by the laws of the city and state. The University of Alabama does not have the authority to investigate the outcome of a municipal election, including allegations about which students chose to vote in that election, for whom they voted or why they cast the votes they did. As soon as the courts and appropriate state and/or local agencies have completed their investigation and the facts are known, the University will be in a position to take the appropriate action, including an internal investigation if necessary. No one in the administration condones voter fraud or is turning a blind eye to these allegations. But these allegations have to be investigated first and foremost by the agencies who have the authority and jurisdiction to conduct them.
While I realize that most members of the UA family understand this process, I thought it was a good time to share the following points with all of you.
Voting in a free, open election is a right that people have fought – and died – to protect and expand over the years. We expect our students – and faculty and staff, for that matter – to protect the integrity of the election process, as well as the privacy of each individual’s vote and the ability of all individuals to vote their conscience.
If any investigation of voter fraud finds that students were involved in inappropriate activities, the individuals involved will be subject to the penalties associated with violating the voting laws of Alabama. In addition, students who are found to have violated the Student Code of Conduct will be referred to the Office of Student Conduct for disciplinary action. Until the investigations are complete, we will work with our student leaders, including those in the Greek community, to provide educational opportunities to ensure that our students understand and appreciate their civic responsibilities. In the meantime, it would not be appropriate to comment further until the investigation and court case have been finalized.
Dr. Judy Bonner
