Ruling of the Elections Commission Regarding Internal Vice Presidential Candidate Antoine Mbok

April 17, 2026

Preface

On November 6, 2024, the Judicial Board released Opinion on Investigative Authority in Elections-Related Cases, delineating the ASUCI Elections Commission’s procedural obligations into two broad categories — administrative and adjudicative. To quote the opinion:

Under its administrative capacity, the Elections Commission operates much like the Federal Elections Commission or its various analogues in the several states, making preliminary quasi-judicial decisions to enforce the elections procedures it has been charged to uphold and, if necessary, defending them in full courts of law.

The ASUCI Constitution presents us with a unique departure from this pattern, however, in that it delegates to the Elections Commission the position of a full judicial body. Whereas the aforementioned analogues to the Elections Commission may focus solely on their administrative capacities, outsourcing all judicial functions to distinct courts of law, the Elections Commission’s primary jurisdiction forces an ordering in such cases where these roles may contradict one another. (Bolek et al., 2024)

Following the revision of the ASUCI Elections Code on February 20, 2025, the Judicial Board added on March 15, 2025, that “[their] ruling in [Opinion on Investigative Authority in Elections-Related Cases] was found to remain in force” with the revisions.

In receiving a complaint alleging a violation of the Elections Code, the Elections Commission has determined that an adjudicative approach would be most appropriate for the circumstances at hand.

Background

On April 13, 2026, the Elections Commission received a complaint against Internal Vice Presidential Candidate Antoine Mbok alleging a violation of Art. XIV §B(5) of the ASUCI Elections Code — “Failing to comply with University policy, including posting policies.” The Petitioner, Joshua Gonzales, contended the following:

  • That Candidate Mbok violated Article XIV § B(5) and B(10) of the ASUCI Elections Code by posting promotional material in American Campus Community housing.

Evidentiary Hearings for the Petitioner and Respondent were called on April 15, 2026 at 8 PM and April 16, 2026 at 9 PM respectively. Petitioner Gonzales provided two (2) Witness testimonies from Witness Jasmine Khaw and Witness Madeleine Chen and Respondent solely testified and a witness statement from Nikita Bulantsev was filed for Respondent Mbok and was reviewed by the Commission. After deliberating the evidence, Evidentiary Hearings, and witness testimonies, pursuant to the Elections Commission’s authorities as an adjudicative body, the following ruling is released.

The Elections Commission has ruled in favor of the Petitioner and found Internal Vice Presidential Candidate Mbok in violation of Art. XIV § B(5) & B(10) of the ASUCI Elections Code. Accordingly, the Elections Commission has levied a Level 3 sanction – Complete Posting Restrictions – on their campaign, beginning April 17, 2026 at 2:15 PM and ending at 5:00 PM.

[R-04] Elections Complaint Ruling Regarding Internal Vice Presidential Candidate Mbok (1)