Traverse City sophomore and Young Americans for Freedom Second Vice President Jason Gillman attended his first College Republicans meeting Wednesday hoping to cast a vote for the group's chair position. However, Gillman was not allowed to vote in the election.

According to the constitution of the College Republicans, "All members deemed inactive will be able to vote on all matters except those pertaining to election of officers, funding or recall of officers."

Little, a Williamston senior, said members of the executive board met Tuesday to determine which members were active within the group.

The constitution laid out the general rules for determining an active member, Little said.

"We have over 400 members," she said. "We thought it was only fair that participants vote."

The group's constitution states, "To be an active member of the College Republicans, you must be an enrolled student of Central Michigan University ... active members must participate on a regular basis at all College Republican meetings. The Executive Board will determine 'regular basis.'"

A 'last-minute block'

Gillman said the active members list was planned out last-minute to block people from voting.

"The E-board shouldn't decide what an active member is," Gillman said. "Me and a few other people were notified that this policy came up last night."

The meeting to determine active members was planned last week because it was the first election held under new constitution, Little said. She said the organization had to find out who active members were in order to see who was eligible to vote.

Little said she heard rumors of non-members trying to vote.

She and the E-board went through sign-in sheets and considered students who attended half of the group's meetings or events to be active members.

"I was hoping there wouldn't be any drama," Little said.

Topinabee sophomore Dennis Lennox II, Young Americans for Freedom president, ran for the College Republicans chair position last year. He said if YAF members were encouraged to attend the College Republicans meeting to vote, it was not by him.

"We wouldn't condone that type of behavior," Lennox said.

'Unable to attend'

Gillman said he couldn't attend other meetings.

"I got the notice about the elections and came to vote only to find out about the policy," Gillman said.

Little said Gillman was not a member of the group's mailing list. She said he would not have received any e-mails about the elections because he is not on the Listserv.

She said the e-mail sent out about elections was very specific, stating, "Please remember that in accordance with our constitution, only active members will be allowed to vote. If you have a question about your membership status, please contact me ASAP."

Little said Gillman never contacted her.

She also said he did not sign in Wednesday, and by signing up, Gillman would be allowed to join the College Republicans.

Little won the election Wednesday by a vote of 11-7, retaining the position of chair of the group for another year.

Lennox said the criteria for being an active member of the YAF are less stringent.

"I would consider an active member as someone on an

e-mail list or a Facebook group," Lennox said.

In YAF, he said, any like-minded student who pays dues can vote in elections.

Little said the College Republicans try not to associate with YAF.

"We've tried to distance ourselves from them," Little said.

The two are separate groups, Little said, but if YAF held an important event, she would encourage members of her group to attend it.

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