The Undergraduate Student Government election commissioners may face a possible investigation due to an alleged violation of the USG elections code.

Two reporters from The Daily Collegian were denied access to the room where the ballots were being counted Wednesday night, which is a violation of the USG Apportionment and Elections Code Act. The elections code states "a representative of the media shall be present to ensure that the votes are tallied fairly."

"It's very easy for ballots to be left out," said Carina Defferrire, former USG presidential candidate and Latino Caucus president. She added that Head Election Commissioner Scott Payne announced Wednesday night that this year's election had the highest voter turnout ever at the University or any other Big Ten school, but this does not agree with the totals.

The voter turnout for this year was 4,953 -- 836 fewer than last year and 1,573 fewer than 1992.

"Where's this high that they're talking about?" Defferrire asked. She added that she will consider requesting that the commissioners be investigated by the USG Election's Court.

But Payne said the commissioners simply overestimated the number of ballots cast.

"We thought it was relatively high -- unfortunately we were wrong," Payne said.

Pat Scanlan, former USG vice presidential candidate and former Penn State University Veterans Organization vice president, also said he was disappointed with the election commissioners' handling of ballots.

"I've heard rumors that a lot of voters turned out, then (the commissioners) came out with less than 5,000," Scanlan said.

Erich May, former USG presidential candidate and former Academic Assembly president, said he also questions the integrity of the election commissioners and may request an investigation.

"I am very disappointed with this commission for many reasons," May said, adding that because Payne was an election commissioner in 1993 and an area commissioner in 1992 there is no reason for Payne to overestimate voter turnout.

"I understand that Mike (King) and Lori (Pennay) won the election, but this whole process has been far too questionable," May said.

Joy Brown (junior-accounting), former USG vice presidential candidate, said she and Mathew Thomas (senior-journalism and English), former USG presidential candidate, will also consider filing a violation against the election commission.

"I think USG is a little fraternity and they don't want an outsider to win," Brown said.

Payne said the Collegian reporters were not forced to leave the vote-counting room and did not know what they were supposed to do while the commissioners tallied the votes.

"If the Collegian feels it's such an important issue, then why did they send us two candidates who knew nothing of what their responsibility is?" Payne asked. "I feel it's very insulting after all the hard work we did.

"The election is legitimate," he added.

But Collegian Editor in Chief Mike Abrams said it is his judgment, as well as that of other editors, to decide what reporters will best cover events.

"If Mr. Payne feels he's justified in judging the competence of our reporters, then he's welcome to try out for the Collegian," Abrams added.

USG President-elect King agreed with Payne that the ballot tallying was conducted in good faith.

"Personally, I think we should have as many outside people as possible to ensure fairness," King said. "It is certainly the right of any candidate to file a complaint, but the outcome of this election will stand."

Jitu Modi, voting and tallying elections commissioner, added that the Collegian reporters just have to be at the tallying place and they were, and he thinks the whole situation has been blown out of proportion.

Some candidates also questioned the number of ballots used at each voting place.

May said he was told that the East Halls voting place received three reams of election ballots containing 500 ballots each and used at least two -- for a total of at least 1,000 ballots -- but only 852 votes were reported there in the results.

Brown said, "I think the whole thing was biased."

Payne said many reams of ballots are taken to each voting place, but that does not mean that they were all used.

"I don't see any discrepancies," Payne said, adding that he welcomes any candidates to file a complaint.

The inconsistency of voter turnout with the number of ballots used is not the only violation the election commissioners may face. Defferrire said she also had problems with Jim Stephens, candidacy and campaigning commissioner, discussing her campaign platform with other ARHS members.

"He was giving an opinion, but that still bothered me," Defferrire said. "That was unprofessional."

Stephens said he was unbiasly discussing Defferrire's platform, and his conversation was misunderstood.

"I wasn't saying any candidate or ticket was any better than another," Stephens said.

Payne said Defferrire approached him about Stephens' comments, and he thought they had resolved the problem.

"I don't know what they would gain at this point in time," Payne said.