Something smells fishy -- and its not the seafood section at Bi Lo Food Market.

The recent Undergraduate Student Government elections did not follow the elections code when the elections commissioners denied two reporters from The Daily Collegian from watching votes being tallied. The elections code clearly states that "a representative of the media shall be requested to be present to ensure that the votes are tallied fairly." That never happened.

An unbiased source cannot attest to the election's validity. The dirty elections and politics swarming the state seem to have found a home in Happy Valley.

Only two courses of action are left for the elections commissioners to follow -- find an outside, impartial auditor who can try to determine beyond any reasonable doubt that the election was fair or hold a new election.

An outside auditor might cost some money, but it is the only way to convince students the election results are valid. Sufficient questions have been raised to suggest improprieties may have occurred.

Scott Payne, head elections commissioner, announced on election night that the election had one of the highest voter turnouts ever. In fact, only 4,953 votes were cast -- 836 fewer than last year and 1,573 fewer than 1992. Payne was involved in the previous two elections and should have known this wasn't the case before he made such a bold announcement. In addition, names were allegedly not checked at some polling places, allowing off-campus students to cast ballots in dorm areas. And it's not too difficult to run a pencil across a Scantron form to invalidate results.

Presidential candidate Carina Defferrire said she had problems with candidacy and campaigning commissioner Jim Stephens. It seems Stephens discussed her campaign platform with Association of Residence Hall Students members before the election. The ability for a commissioner to remain unbiased during the election is extremely compromised when he discusses a candidate's platform.

More importantly, the elections code was not followed.

If an outside audit cannot determine the election to be valid beyond a shadow of a doubt, then a new election must be called for and this time, the elections code must be followed.

It is not right when the alleged USG president-elect, Mike King says the election is fair and " . . . the outcome of this election will stand." That sounds suspiciously similar to William G. Stinson, supposed winner in the Second District Senate race, until the courts decided his election was invalid. In order to show he has nothing to hide, King should welcome an outside auditor to prove the validity of his election or a re-election to show the strength of his support base.

All of the candidates must push and encourage the commission to account for the votes and make sure the final count accurately reflects the votes cast.

The only way we can guarantee a fair and accountable election is to hire an outside auditor. But if that can't happen, then a new election is an absolute necessity. And with the disorganization surrounding the election, it will be hard to prove anything is valid.

The elections commission owes fairness to the students who voted. They voted in what they believed to be a fair and accountable election when in fact they got an election reminiscent of the dirty politics of the Chicago mob bosses.

It wasn't that long ago when dead people got to vote in Chicago. And because the elections commission did not follow the elections code, the same thing may have happened at Penn State. Until we know for sure, the recent USG election is nothing but a sham.