Scandal strikes Kedma elections
By: Kelly Farrell
Issue date: 12/9/09 Section: News
A fair democratic process was challenged at the recent Kedma elections, when votes were tampered with on the web site used to count votes.
The web site used to tally votes was manipulated by students who voted with e-mail addresses that were either not theirs or were completely falsified.
According to a letter the Kedma president sent out to the members of Kedma upon discovering the manipulation, vote-tampering occurred in every race in the election and went on for two days.
After the current president, Dov Lerner, discovered the election results had been tampered with, he called for a re-vote on a more secure online voting service.
He expressed that while disappointed in those that chose to tamper with the elections, Kedma will overcome the setback.
"What we have built here is too strong and too powerful for anyone to undermine. We will choose our new leaders fairly, and they will take Kedma to even greater heights," said Lerner in his letter.
Lerner wrote directly to the anonymous people who tampered with the system.
"You have betrayed this sacred trust, undermining the bonds that hold us together, and that of the more than 200 people who participated in the election," he wrote.
There is currently no evidence or suspicion that the candidates were involved in the fraud, Lerner said.
He did add that if any evidence is found indicating a candidate was involved in any way, they would be disqualified from the election.
However, despite the controversy surrounding the elections, Nina Calmenson, Kedma's president-elect is looking forward to the new year with her fairly-elected board.
Calmenson said that although she was disappointed that the votes were tampered with she does not think the perpetrators had any malicious intent.
She said that scandal put her back a week in planning but was nothing that couldn't be made up. She noted that in the future, Kedma will make sure to use a more secure voting web site.
As far as plans for the upcoming year, Calmenson said that they will be busy planning events over winter break but is excited to expand Kedma.
"I would like to get a broader spectrum of Orthodox Jews involved in our programming," said Calmenson.
She said that with the recent addition of a new board member, education chair, Kedma will be able to "hit the more active members and have more time to focus on the less active members."
Calmenson said that although they don't have any specific events planned yet, they do plan on doing the holiday and learning events that are planned for every semester.
The web site used to tally votes was manipulated by students who voted with e-mail addresses that were either not theirs or were completely falsified.
According to a letter the Kedma president sent out to the members of Kedma upon discovering the manipulation, vote-tampering occurred in every race in the election and went on for two days.
After the current president, Dov Lerner, discovered the election results had been tampered with, he called for a re-vote on a more secure online voting service.
He expressed that while disappointed in those that chose to tamper with the elections, Kedma will overcome the setback.
"What we have built here is too strong and too powerful for anyone to undermine. We will choose our new leaders fairly, and they will take Kedma to even greater heights," said Lerner in his letter.
Lerner wrote directly to the anonymous people who tampered with the system.
"You have betrayed this sacred trust, undermining the bonds that hold us together, and that of the more than 200 people who participated in the election," he wrote.
There is currently no evidence or suspicion that the candidates were involved in the fraud, Lerner said.
He did add that if any evidence is found indicating a candidate was involved in any way, they would be disqualified from the election.
However, despite the controversy surrounding the elections, Nina Calmenson, Kedma's president-elect is looking forward to the new year with her fairly-elected board.
Calmenson said that although she was disappointed that the votes were tampered with she does not think the perpetrators had any malicious intent.
She said that scandal put her back a week in planning but was nothing that couldn't be made up. She noted that in the future, Kedma will make sure to use a more secure voting web site.
As far as plans for the upcoming year, Calmenson said that they will be busy planning events over winter break but is excited to expand Kedma.
"I would like to get a broader spectrum of Orthodox Jews involved in our programming," said Calmenson.
She said that with the recent addition of a new board member, education chair, Kedma will be able to "hit the more active members and have more time to focus on the less active members."
Calmenson said that although they don't have any specific events planned yet, they do plan on doing the holiday and learning events that are planned for every semester.
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