Madison Student Government: Court Dismisses Second Appeal Over Chair Election

The Associated Students of Madison (ASM) student judiciary dismissed a second legal brief from Rep. Michael Harry on Sept. 29, ending his formal challenge to the results of the spring chair election. Harry, a candidate in the April 24 vote, had previously lost the race against Haia Al Zein. His latest filing marked the second time he asked the student court to examine procedural errors that allegedly occurred during and after the election. The dismissal effectively cements Al Zein's position as chair for the 33rd session.

The dispute originated on April 30, when Harry first submitted a petitioner's brief arguing that the election results were invalid. On Sept. 14, he amended that initial filing to include additional information and requested that alleged violators be barred from running for chair in future cycles. In these documents, Harry claimed that meeting rules were broken during the election and that the Chief Justice failed to preside over the proceedings. The judiciary issued an order on Sept. 8 allowing his first brief to be discussed as a special item at the Sept. 16 student council meeting.

The critical failure occurred during that Sept. 16 meeting. ASM representatives voted against adopting the special order, which would have allowed them to re-elect the chair by a simple majority. Adoption of the order required a two-thirds majority. While a simple majority of representatives voted in favor, the group did not reach the necessary threshold. Harry’s second brief, filed on Sept. 22, argued that using a two-thirds majority requirement to take up his first brief lacked precedent in the student judiciary’s history.

In the second filing, Harry alleged that the judiciary mishandled its previous order and that Chief Justice Chloe Sieman misapplied rules during the process. However, a majority of student justices recused themselves from deciding the second brief. This group included Sieman, whose recusal Harry had specifically requested in his filings. Because so many justices stepped back, the judiciary did not assign a full panel to hear the case. The dismissal notice cited these recusals as the primary reason for the decision.

Al Zein released a statement to The Daily Cardinal following the dismissal. She said the decision gives her hope for the remainder of the 33rd session. She added that she hopes the outcome serves as an opportunity for the student body to work more collaboratively and move forward in greater unity. Sieman, Harry, and the student judiciary declined to provide further comment on the brief or the final ruling.