Posters with derogatory statements about Eric Dyer and Gina Nelson’s Minnesota Student Association presidential ticket were found on campus early Wednesday morning.
MSA presidential candidate Dyer said he found the signs at approximately 2 a.m.
“They were everywhere,” he said.
The signs, which contained the Dyer-Nelson copyrighted campaign logo, said, “Pederasty is a Greek thing,” “We like fat chicks” and “Unlike frat boys, we like our women conscious.”
Dyer said he and friends tore down approximately 500 of the posters.
Dyer said he filed a police report, and because the posters made remarks against women, they qualified as a hate crime.
University police were unavailable for comment.
Dyer said until now, this was the friendliest MSA election he has seen.
“This is just a fun election,” Dyer said. “Honestly, it kind of hurt.”
MSA presidential candidate Ryan Johnson filed a complaint with the All-Campus Elections Commission, alleging another MSA presidential candidate put up the signs.
Johnson said previous statements made by the candidate matched the statements on the posters
Elections commission Chairman Casey Buboltz said the commission is investigating the situation but currently cannot prove anything or take any action.
“It’s a very, very serious allegation,” Buboltz said.
If the person who made the posters was a candidate, Buboltz said, he or she would be removed from the election. If the candidate were elected, he or she would be removed from office.
Buboltz added that because the posters broke the code of conduct, the person could be expelled.
The commission, which has been in contact with University police, will continue to investigate the incident.
Five commission members planned to search campus between midnight and 3 a.m. Thursday morning for possible suspects.
Approximately 2,340 votes had been counted for all-campus elections at 5 p.m. Wednesday – roughly equal to the entire vote count in last year’s election.
Emily Ayshford covers student government and welcomes comments at [email protected]