The University of Alabama Elections Board announced on Tuesday that it had found SGA presidential candidate Jared Hunter guilty of of two major ethical violations and an intermediate violation. 

On Wednesday, Hunter appealed the Board’s ruling, and in his appeal cited “evidence of collusion between the Chair of the Elections Board and Ms. Roth.” In the appeal, Hunter provided a screenshot of a GroupMe chat which included President Roth and where one chat member says, “Keeli [Mallory] pulled through for her beloved SGA prez on that campaign board.”

A few messages later, Roth responded with, “SWEET KEELI THANK YOU.” 

Later that day, Roth commented on the allegations.

“I don’t want to get into the specifics of Jared Hunter’s appeal, but my one comment would be that Keeli Mallory and Mary Lee Caldwell are two of the most respectable people that I have met at my time at the Capstone,” she said. “They have nothing but integrity and good intentions in their roles,” she said.

In a statement, Mallory called the allegation “inaccurate and unfair.”

“I have served on the Elections Board prior to SGA President Roth running for either term, and I am one of seven voting members on the Elections Board comprised of several entities of campus. I have no affiliation with the Roth campaign and have only served in my role on the Elections Board to promote an equal and fair elections process for all. I am not and never have been a part of the group message in question,” she said.

Additionally, SGA presidential hopeful Gene Fulmer, a junior majoring in marketing said he believes each candidate has the right to a fair judgement of his or her campaign. 

“I am confident that the right decision will be made,” Fulmer said.