Kallum Taylor has been elected the new YUSU President after a tightly fought election campaign which saw him receive 2129 first-choice ballots.
After two weeks blitzing campus with now-fraying cardboard cut-outs, the results night on Thursday saw the former Vanbrugh College JCRC Chair beat off close competition from Zahra Latif, English combined course-rep who received 1745 votes, and Nacho Hernando, former Goodricke Chair, who lagged behind with 973.
Also running were Peter-Warner Medley, James Carney, Abir Ahmmed and Thomas Stuart Taylor.
The campaigning season, littered with the usual manipulation of omnipresent, multi-national brand names (Doritos, Kellogg’s and H&M, to name a few), began on the 17th February and ended with the closure of voting on 1st March. The strategy worked; the election led to over 5720 students voting, or 36.8% of the student body, the highest turnout in five years.
Taylor will be joined by new Sabbatical Officers Charlotte Winter (York Sport President) and Chris West (Student Activities), alongside returning Sabbs Bob Hughes (Welfare) and Graeme Osborn (Academic).
However, amidst the celebrations of Thursday’s election night, there were tears from losing candidates and qualms from others. Perhaps most controversially, Torris, a member of the Board of Student Trustees, revealed to Vision that it is going to be “a bit of a task working with Kallum next year.”
Speaking to Vision, President-elect Taylor said he did not always see himself as the frontrunner, despite polls and pundits coming out in his favour throughout campaigning, and was ecstatic with the win.
“Me and my team set out like we were chasing someone ahead of us all the time and went for it. I’d like thank my whole team; this win was down to the grafters.”
Taylor now faces a four month waiting period until he formally ascends to the Presidency on the 1st July. “There is nothing formal for me to do until then, though I’d like to speak to other candidates in the meantime as I’d like to incorporate some of their policies into the Union’s activities.”
“One of the other candidates had a policy to disconnect Sabbs’ internet once a week, just to make sure they do get out and about. When I heard that, I was like, that’s alright you know.”
He admitted his strategy was to go for the “average student voter” – and that is certainly who he hopes to represent with his initial policy programme which stresses ‘value for money’.
Articulating how he intends to achieve such value, Taylor did pinpoint some policies. “Like any managers of a business, charging more means we should provide more service – like key texts on a single CD, for example.”
More immediately, he hopes by Christmas to “set up weekly surgeries on both campuses with no agenda, which I can do straight away. I’d also like to start chasing up more cycle spaces and bring in lockers [which] off-campus students will be made up with – it’d be nice for them to see the Union is doing something for them as well.”
The new YUSU Officers will take office next academic year.
STORIES FROM THE CAMPAIGN
– KELLOGG’s Press Office were apparently “flattered” by Kallum Taylor’s use of the Special K symbol. Despite rumours they would sue if permission wasn’t sorted, a quick call to the company showed they were supportive of Kallum and everyone campaigning.
– OTHER candidates just cannot accept defeat. Tom Taylor has already began his campaign for next year and has started posting videos for ‘TST 2013’. Fellow candidate Abir Ahmmed also announced on election night that this year was merely “the platform for his next election.”
– SOME candidates let the campaign season get to their head. James Carney, Presidential candidate, annouced to the world that “Being noticed can be a burden. Jesus got himself crucified because he got himself noticed.” Guess that explains his absence on election night…