Barry Murphy Elected as UCDSU President
By Aoife Hardesty | Nov 23 2017
Barry Murphy has been elected President of UCD Students' Union. Murphy was elected with 76.8% of the overall vote. The other presidential candidate Rebecca Hart received 19% of the vote.In the by-election for Engineering and Architecture College Officer, Conor Flannery, who ran uncontested, won with 86.98% of votes, out of 221 voters, 28 voted for RON (reopen nominations).After the dramatic events of the impeachment referendum, with a high voter turnout of 6611, turnout for the by-election was low, with 2610 students coming out to vote. The highest turnout was seen amongst Arts students with a voter turnout of 771 .Students voted for Murphy in all polling stations except in Carysfort where Hart won 53% of the votes out of 18 voters. Murphy won 75.2% of votes in his home-faculty, Science, whilst Hart lost in her home-faculty of Health Sciences with 40.7% of votes.Murphy was elected Campaigns and Communications Officer in March last year, and was chosen by then-President Katie Ascough to be Vice-President of the Union. Following Ascough's impeachment last month, Murphy has been acting President and fulfilling the usual presidential duties.Murphy's opponent, Hart, has been Health Sciences College Officer twice for the academic years 2015/2016 and 2016/2017.Murphy resigned from his position as Campaigns and Communications (C&C) Officer before the vote was announced, by submitting a formal letter of resignation to Welfare Officer Eoghan Mac Domhnaill (next in line for the role of acting president). In his letter, Murphy said he found the position of C&C Officer "hugely fulfilling" and that the role had brought him "much joy over the past few months."Hart gave a concession speech, thanking all invovled in her campaign and wishing Barry Murphy the best of luck in the future.In a statement/speech following the announcement, Murphy said thanked everyone who vote for him, his parents, and his campaign team, especially Matthew is campaign manager.Murphy said he is "looking forward to getting back to work, restoring the reputation of the union. He is also "looking forward to never seeing a polling station again."