The USA Elections Board disqualified two transfer student representative candidates Wednesday from the Undergraduate Students Association Council elections.
The candidates, Max Brian Hernandez and Mario Malak, were eliminated due to issues with their campaign finances. Brian Hernandez, a third-year public affairs student, failed to submit the required financial documentation by Tuesday night, according to his notice of disqualification. Malak, a third-year biology student, was eliminated because he exceeded the Elections Board’s $200 campaign expenditure limit by $51.98, according to his notice of disqualification.
Malak and Brian Hernandez’s disqualification leaves seven candidates for the role of transfer student representative. Voting for the USAC election will close May 15 at noon.
The Elections Board said in Malak’s notice of disqualification that it had explicitly communicated financial spending limitations to candidates during the Official 2026 Candidate Orientation, and added that the guidelines are also outlined in the Elections Board’s guiding documents.
“Campaign expenditure limitations exist to ensure that no candidate obtains a disproportionate financial advantage inconsistent with the principles of equal participation, fairness, and equal protection guaranteed under the Election Code,” the board said in the notice.
The Elections Board said in Brian Hernandez’s notice of disqualification that his failure to submit financial documentation signified an obstruction of transparency.
“Timely submission of campaign finance documentation is essential to ensuring transparency, accountability, fairness, and equal enforcement of election regulations across all campaigns participating in the 2026 USA Election cycle,” the board said in the notice.
Candidates may appeal their disqualification to the USA Judicial Board within 24 hours of their disqualification, according to the USA Election Code. No appeals from Malak or Brian Hernandez were posted in the Elections Board Google Drive folder as of Monday morning.
Malak and Brian Hernandez did not immediately respond to requests for comment on their disqualification.
