Approximately one quarter of students turned out to vote in the fall election
On Oct. 1, the results of the MASU’s fall election were released. Six student councillors were elected.
In order of number of votes received, Samantha Feener, Caitlin O’Connor, Charlie Burke, Sertara Wilkinson and Aminah Simmons were elected as councillors-at-large after eight rounds of voting. Hannah Ehler was elected first-year councillor after two rounds.
Seven candidates ran for five positions of councillor-at-large. Two candidates competed for the single first-year councillor position.
Turnout for both elections was about 25 per cent, meaning only about one quarter of Mount Allison students voted in the election. This is comparable to the turnout rate for past years’ fall and spring elections, and slightly lower than the turnout for this winter’s MASU executive elections, in which 34.8 per cent of students voted.
Councillors sit on the Students’ Administrative Council, which governs the MASU. It is made up of MASU executives and a number of voting and non-voting councillors representing various student interests. For example, councillors-at-large represent students on a broad, general basis, while the first-year councillor represents first years’ concerns specifically and faculty councillors represent the interests of students from arts, sciences and social sciences faculties respectively.
The Students’ Administrative Council is responsible for passing and adopting official MASU policies on university issues relevant to students, such as the prioritization of Indigenous hires or inclusion of mental health resource information on class syllabi. The council also oversees MASU bylaws and procedures, as well as its executive and staff.
Elections were held from Sept 27 to 28, and votes were cast online via secret ballot. Councillors are elected using a round voting system that eliminates the candidates with the least votes.