The Student Government (SG) Elections and Rules Committee (E & R) has postponed the Spring 2013 elections by one week. E & R decided to give students more time to take into account new information that has recently come to light before casting their vote, according to E & R Chair and fourth-year Lester Ang.

The postponement came after allegations of rules violations against members of multiple slates surfaced over the past week. An April 16 Maroon article discussed allegations against second-year Yusef Al-Jarani, presidential candidate for the Ignite slate, of early campaigning and offering individuals, including two members of UChicaGOLD, positions on the SG cabinet. Last night, E & R posted a document listing 13 complaints against Ignite, UChicaGOLD, and the Moose Party on the SG Web site.

Citing a contentious election cycle, E & R has also implemented a new system for slates to appeal penalties imposed on them by the Committee, according to Ang. The new appeals committee will consist of the five voting members of E & R and two additional voting members from the student government assembly chosen by Ang and SG President Renard Miller. Ang and Miller will also serve on the committee in non-voting capacities. Ang said he hopes this new process will better address tensions in the period leading up to elections.

According to an e-mail sent by Ang to candidates on Sunday, appeals to penalties that have already been imposed by E & R will be deliberated on and addressed within 48 hours of their submission.

Ang said that this type of appeals system is new to E & R this year due to issues in elections “that were not encountered by previous E & R committees.”

The elections, which were originally scheduled to begin this morning and last through Thursday, will now start next Tuesday and run through Thursday, May 2. An updated election schedule has been posted on the SG Web site.