Eoin Hand, a presidential candidate, has received a minor strike from the Electoral Commission hours before the polls close on the final day of voting.
In a comment to Trinity News, Hand described the issue as a “minor infringement relating to the online voting link being promoted on the campaign social media accounts for several hours”.
“This was not an attempt to gain an advantage over my fellow candidates,” Hand stated, “it was intended to promote voting in the college.”
Hand also pointed out that “this activity was not expressly forbidden by the Commission but it was decided that this had given me an advantage over the other candidates”
Following today’s strike, Hand explained that the Electoral Commission intends to include details pertaining to the inclusion of general promotion of voting links on campaigning social media in Schedule 3, the Sabbatical Election and Referendum Regulations, for next year’s elections.
Hand is one of three candidates for TCDSU President in this year’s elections, running opposite Ryan Carey and Harry Williams. A poll conducted last week by Trinity News indicated that Hand is set to win the presidency with just below the half-plus-one of votes needed to win outright, at 49.4%.
Voting in the TCDSU elections ends today at 4pm, with results announced later this evening after the votes are counted.
On-campus voting opened on Tuesday, with over 1,200 students casting a ballot on the first full day of voting.
