“Misinformation” about a petition deadline resulted in the disqualification of two Residence Hall Association officials from the Student Association executive election.

RHA President Willie Fowler and Rob Arrington, vice president of administration for RHA, said they planned to run on a two-slate ballot as presidential and vice presidential candidates, respectively.

Arrington said he phoned the SA office in mid-February to collect information on when petitions would be released, petition due dates and the process involved with running for office.

He said the person in the SA office told him the petitions were due the Wednesday before the week of the elections for his name to appear on the ballot.

Fowler and Arrington confirmed their decision to run for office the Monday after spring break, Arrington said. He called the SA office at 3:40 p.m. and asked SA Office Manager Joni Burke if they could pick up petitions.

Burke said they could pick up petitions but the deadline was at 4:30 p.m. that day. Burke said they must have been misinformed about deadline information.

Arrington said he did not know who misinformed him.

Eight individuals turned in their petitions by Monday’s deadline and are on the ballot for the election. The elections are Tuesday and Wednesday.

Arrington said he and Fowler went to the SA office, filled out authorization forms confirming they picked up the petitions and had about a half hour to get 200 signatures each, Arrington said.

Burke said she waited in the office until 4:36 p.m. for their return but was informed they did not return until 4:45 p.m.

Arrington said he and Fowler decided not to attempt a write-in campaign. He said other candidates already had a head-start. There are four presidential candidates and two vice presidential candidates.

Another reason he gave for not attempting a write-in campaign was there are other means of getting their ideas across.

Fowler said he and Arrington originally intended to run to increase communications between the RHA and the SA, which allows “the few (to) speak for the many.”

“Every aspect of the university is represented here (in the residence halls),” and there are too many people in the residence hall structure to be overlooked, Arrington said.

“We do represent some 7,500 students in the halls,” and they want to be heard, he said.

Arrington said the “whole intention for running was that I really cared.”

He said he wanted someone to be elected who would do a good job and not some “hokey individual to take the position for the title.”

SA Vice President Cam Davis said, “We have rules and regulations that you can’t turn in petitions late.”