URSU election results – only 9.8 per cent of students vote

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BEHOLD YOUR NEW OVERLORDS, MORTALS! [Photo - Brett Nielsen]

BEHOLD YOUR NEW OVERLORDS, MORTALS! [Photo – Brett Nielsen]

… Wait, what election? There was an election?

The University of Regina Students’ Union wrapped up its general election last week, following a month of campaigning. Voter turnout dropped drastically, drawing just 9.8 per cent of students to the polls, compared with last year’s 21.4 per cent turnout.

Presidential Candidates Jermain Mckenzie and Jason Gagnon ran a close race, and finished with similar vote counts, receiving 709 and 547 votes respectively. Jermain will serve as URSU president in the following academic year. Fellow candidate Connor MacNeil received much less support, garnering only 116 votes. 53 students abstained from the presidential vote. For those of you keeping score, that brings total voters in the presidential race to 1432 out of a possible 14550.

Last year, URSU’s general election garnered a voter turnout of 21.4 per cent, a significant increase from the year before that which garnered only 13.6 per cent. Last year’s turnout may have been bolstered, however, by a bitter referendum on the Universal Bus Pass; a referendum which saw several awareness campaigns dedicated to increasing interest in URSU elections.

Shawn Wiskar was confirmed as Vice President of Student Affairs by a margin of 663 “yes” votes to 204 “no” votes. 370 others, or 30 per cent of all voting students abstained.

Matthew Mutschler was confirmed for his second term in the office of Vice President Operations and Finance. He received 736 “yes” votes, 159 “no” votes, and 306 abstentions.

In the final executive position, Abby Rutko was confirmed in the position of Vice President External Relations. Rutko received 715 “yes” votes, 146 “no” votes, and 316 abstentions.

URSU’s Board of Directors will be made up of returning members and new members alike. Returning will be Eric Holloway, the business director; Sena Debia, the kinesiology director; Maria Aman, the part-time students’ director; and Emily Barber, the returning LGBTQ director. New to the board are Derrick Gagnon, Campion College director; Sam Dietrich, the engineering director; Umair Aslam, graduate students’ director; Faith Ogundipe, arts director; and Umar Ahsan, international students’ director.

Next year’s University Council (the body which presents academic affairs reports to Senate, makes all grading and examination policies, and presides over non-academic discipline) will consist of Matthew Mutschler, Colton Macdonald, Britannia Mohrbutter, Faith Ogundipe, Carly Graham and Firuz Phillip. Council executives will be Jason Gagnon, Nicole Barber, and (departing president) Devon Peters.

Student Senate, the body which approves changes in academic policy and is the ultimate court of academic appeals, will be composed of students Nicole Barber, Sam Dietrich, Derrick Gagnon, Jason Gagnon, Matthew Mutschler, and Devon Peters.

RPIRG (Regina Public Interest Research Group) representatives next year will be Haris Khan and Carillon staff writer Hannah Grover.

For candidate profiles and all your URSU news, check out carillonregina.com, or follow us on Facebook.

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