The results of the 2024 UCD Students’ Union Executive elections were announced at 4pm today at The Clubhouse Bar. This year’s executive elections drew the highest voter-turnout a UCDSU election had seen in eleven years.
The Sabbatical Officer Races
The results of the 2024 UCD Students’ Union Executive elections were announced at 4pm today at The Clubhouse Bar. This year’s executive elections drew the highest voter-turnout a UCDSU election had seen in eleven years. The Returning Officer, Darryl Horan said: “This is a testament to our current sabbats and candidates running and to their campaign teams”. The total poll for this year reached 4168.
Saskia McCormack-Eiffe was elected Campaigns and Engagements Officer on the first count with 2240 of the votes. Speaking to the audience at the Clubhouse she said: “Thank you so much RON for a great campaign. Thank you so much everyone [for voting], I appreciate it.
Campaigns & Engagement
Speaking to The University Observer about her victory she said: “I am beyond delighted. Although RON has always been a possibility in the back of my mind. I am so humbled that people have put their trust in me. I hope I do a good job this year and that I make everyone proud”. Asked about the historical turnout numbers, the highest they’ve ever been in eleven years, McCormack-Eiffe said: “I’m going to get it higher next year!”.
Events and Entertainments
Neo O’Herlihy was re-elected as Events and Entertainments Officer on the second count with 1631 votes. Neither him nor his opponent, Daniel Devey reached quota which was set at 1377. Indeed, Devey held 1269 votes.
Addressing the crowd after his win he said: “Thank you so much to all my supporters this year and thank you to Daniel Devey for pushing me further this year. I hope you all enjoyed how much more engaged I was this year instead of sitting in my office… Go Ents!”
Speaking to The University Observer, the re-elected Events and Enternments Officer said: “I feel excited to go ahead with a new year with new ideas. I was feeling nervous until the results were announced but I am glad that I ended up winning and the students liked my ideas.” He offered comment about the impressive election turnout stating: “I think it shows a lot of the effect of campaigning and that a lot of it has to do with the fact that a lot of the races were contested this year which meant that people were more willing to go out there. You really need to put in the work to get your voice out there”
Welfare
Ciara Donohue has been elected to the role of Welfare Officer on the fourth count with 1223 votes. Her first opponent Jacob Miller received 1160 votes and the second, Shauna Young was eliminated on the third count.
Speaking to the crowd after her victory, the newly elected Welfare Officer said: “Thank you to everyone who voted and to my fellow race opponents. Thanks to Darryl for answering every one of my frantic questions”.
Speaking to The University Observer she said: “I’m very excited to be people’s next Welfare Officer next year.”
Education
Current Health Science College Officer Tia Cullen was elected to the role of Education Officer on the first count with 1891 votes. Her opponent Naomhan Mhaonaigh received 782 votes. Cullen will replace Sarah McGrath in June 2024.
As she addressed the results attendees she said: “Thank you to everyone who voted and shout-out to my Co-caption managers Sophie and Cillian. This would not have been possible without you”.
Speaking to The University Observer fresh off her win, the newly elected Education Officer Tia Cullen said: “I’m so excited and so happy. It was very satisfying because I feel like I ran a solid campaign”. Speaking about the unprecedented level of voter turnout this year she said: “I am absolutely delighted one of the things I want to focus on is engagement and to see this is proof that it is going in the right direction but that more needs to be done”.
Graduate
Mental Health Campaigns Coordinator Kylie McCardel was elected on the first count with 545 votes and 100 votes to reopen nominations. She will step into the role officially in June 2024 and replace Marc Matouc. During her address to the crowd she thanked all those who voted for her: “Thank you to everyone [who voted], I can’t wait to be your officer”.
Speaking to The University Observer the newly elected Graduate Officer said: “I am excited to start working and June can’t come soon enough. My biggest concern these past few days was that RON (reopen nominations) would win”. She continued: I think it’s good that engagement is so high, it’s a testament to the fact that people want to be involved in the union and want to have a union that supports and represents them and I hope to fulfill that goal.
President
Miranda Bauer was elected President on the first count with 2327 votes. Her opponent, Marc Matouc received 1191 votes. She will enter the role in June 2024 and replace current President Martha Ni Riada. Speaking to the crowd after her win she said: “I hope to see the energy [I am seeing now] in council next year. I’m excited to work hard next year alongside other sabbaticals.”
Speaking to The University Observer she added: “I am incredibly happy with engagement [during this election]. I think it speaks massively to the work we put in throughout the last year and of course the work that candidates put in, that college officers and sabbatical officers put in. It could be a turning moment where we see a constant rise of student engagement. This turnout was double what we saw last year”. She credits the high levels of turnout to “a couple elements”: “I think we had very engaged class representatives this year. I credit that to the current sabbatical team and I credit that a bit to myself as Campaigns and Engagements officer. I credit that to the current sabbatical team who encouraged people to run for elections. And of course to the candidates, who put themselves out there to run”.
She admits she feels “amazing” about her win: “I am happy to see so many people stand by my policies and what I stand by. I am very excited and truly looking forward to next year to work on what I’ve planned”.
College Officer Races
In the college officer races Ava Doyle was elected to the role of Arts College Officer on the third count and said: “I hope I can get some change done to Newsman and help Arts students see some valuable change”.
Peace Jia Wang was elected to the role of Business College Officer on the first count and addressed the crowd saying: “I’ll try to be the best college officer even though I was the only one who went for it”.
Siobhan Surban Black was elected to the role of Engineering College Officer on the first count. Following her win she mentioned she was: “really excited to get this role”.
Stephen Mullen was elected to the role of Architecture College Officer on the first count. He is the first person to hold this role. Speaking about his win he said, “I obviously can’t be worse than the person who came before me because there wasn’t one but thank you to everyone who voted. I’m excited about this role”.
Noah Johnson was elected to the role of Health Science Officer on the first count. He stated: “Thank you to my campaign and to everyone who supported me”.
Aisling Maloney was elected to the role of Law College Officer on the first count. Following her win she said: “Thank you to my campaign team. I am very excited to work with the rest of the college officers”.
Kate Lawlor was elected to the role of Irish Language College Officer on the first count.
Referenda
The referendum to allow elections of continuing years Class Representatives to take place in the last four weeks of the trimester did not pass as the threshold of 12.5% registered students was not met with a total poll of 2902.
The referendum to lower the quorum for constitutional referendum from 12.5% to 10% did not pass as the threshold of 12.5% students was not met with a total poll reaching 2868.