SU announces 2018 byelection results, including new vice-president external

By Matty Hume, October 12 2018 —

The Students’ Union 2018 byelection wrapped up on Oct. 12 as SU chief returning officers Hamnah Altaf and Leah Mordo announced the election results at 5:30 p.m. at the Den’s main stage.

The SU holds byelections in order to elect students to positions that were left vacant after the general election or because an elected official has stepped down. This byelection was intended to fill the executive position of vice-president external, which was made vacant after previous VP external Puncham Judge resigned from the role in April, as well as to elect faculty representatives for the Schulich School of Engineering and Werklund School of Education, which were left vacant in the 2018 SU general election.

Altaf and Mordo announced the results to a crowd of about 25 students.

With 66 per cent of the vote, Anayat Sidhu will join the SU executive team as VP external. Sidhu stepped down from her elected student-at-large role on the University of Calgary senate to run in the byelection.

“I’m excited to win and to represent the student body. It’s unbelievable to move from the senate to the VP external position,” Sidhu said. “I’m excited to work with the university, the Students’ Union and the student body to move a lot of awesome things forward.”

Ioana Rontu won the position of Schulich School of Engineering representative with 35 per cent of the vote, beating runner-up Mohamed Elrafie by only six votes.

“I’m very thankful to have received so many votes,” Rontu said. “There was a lot of politicking involved, the other candidates were amazing. I campaigned pretty hard for my campaign points, which are things I’d like to see through.”

Tina Miller will take on the role of Werklund School of Education representative via acclamation. Miller was previously the SU’s 2017–18 vice-president academic.

This year’s byelection had a voter turnout of 4.6 per cent, with 1,216 students voting.