In an unexpected announcement on Binghamton University’s campus television station last night, incumbent J. Nathaniel Reed conceded the dead-heat election for the 2006 Student Association’s Vice President for Multicultural Affairs position to David Bass, his only opponent.
Reed, who is commonly known as “Mr. Reed” on campus, technically won the election held last Wednesday and Thursday by seven votes, or around 1 percent. But a discrepancy between the number of ballots submitted and the number of signatures called the win into question because the difference — of 14 — was more than enough to push the election into a re-run.
Now with Reed gone, the re-run will continue as planned on Wednesday from 12-6 p.m., said SA elections committee chairwoman Fiona Peach. But Reed’s name will be removed and new ballots will be printed. Voters will have a choice of voting for Bass or writing in the name of an alternate candidate.
Reed said he will be submitting a formal letter to the Student Association with his decision as soon as he can.
“I actually plan on moving on with what I’ll be doing for next year,” Reed said on Binghamton Television (BTV)’s “J & A Show,” which was broadcast live at 9:30 p.m. Monday night.
During the BTV broadcast, Reed said that he didn’t think there’s a difference between his and Bass’s qualifications, citing the minuscule difference between the number of votes each received.
Reed’s decision not to pursue a second term is the latest twist in the complicated saga of the VPMA position. Last year’s VPMA, Ju-Sun Lee, resigned in November to pursue a computer programming career, prompting the first contest between Reed and Bass for the position. Reed was the clear winner. Now, Bass will have his turn at the job he wanted last year.
After Reed announced that he would pulling out of the election, Bass expressed his hope for unity in his new office, and that he could continue to use the “eloquence and passion that Jesse Reed has brought” to the VPMA position.
“It’s a positive development because another few days of contested campaigning would do damage to an office that is in serious need of unity,” Bass said.
Reed spoke of his plans to build credibility and of “getting people excited” about multiculturalism on campus. After the show, he elaborated on his hopes for the coming year, and his desire to possibly run next year for VPMA.
“Me leaving now likely means that I’ll be coming back,” he said. “I want to get back to the level of the people and build my raport there.”
His plans include getting more involved in campus media, particularly BTV and WHRW, and building on leadership for student groups. Reed said that among his concerns for the BU community were the absence of strong male leadership, the lack of a united image and the strong presence of homophobia.
Reed also discussed the need for students to become more involved in off-campus politics.
“More of us are moving off-campus,” he said. “We need to get involved in city government. We have power as students.”
During the show, Reed spoke of the necessity to promote a large-scale view of the student body, one that again emphasized unity on campus.
“You have to look at it as a possibility and as a mission statement,” he said.
Bass, who is gay, agreed and emphasized his plans for campus-wide participation in the National Day of Silence to bring awareness to gay, lesbian and transgendered rights on April 26.
Although he ran unsuccessfully against Reed in November, Bass has not shied away from campus activities. He has been working as a New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG) representative for the SA and has been working on intercultural affairs for Hillel, BU’s Jewish Student Union, and has an executive board position on the Rainbow Pride Union as a campus outreach coordinator and program director on the Intercultural Awareness committee.
“The election process has not been a shining moment for multicultural affairs,” Bass said. “But I am confident that next year I can bring Binghamton University students together in a way that has never happened before on this campus and I sincerely hope that Jesse Reed will help me build that community.”
The show be posted on BTV’s Web site, www.btv6.org, on Wednesday.