Students’ Union Elections 2024 Results

NOTE: The Gateway ran a DFU campaign in the 2024 Students’ Union Elections. We covered our campaign in a strict environment that strived to promote impartiality, transparency, and fairness. If you’d like more information, please see our coverage statement, statement on our results, or Conflict of Interest Plan.

For the first time since 2019, a woman was elected as the Students’ Union (SU) president. As well, for the first time in over 20 years, a woman was elected as the Board of Governors representative.

On March 7, the results for the SU elections were announced in the Students’ Union Building (SUB) at SUBstage. According to the Elections Office, there was a 16.88 per cent voter turnout with a total of 5,861 votes. This was a decrease of 9.7 per cent from the 2023 election.

Glock elected SU president with 53 per cent of votes on second ballot

Lisa Glock, a fourth-year political science and women’s and gender studies student, was elected as the next SU president. In the first round of voting, Glock received 48 per cent of the votes. In the second round, she received 53 per cent of the votes.

“I’m obviously very shocked, first of all, but in such a good way. I am overwhelmed with the amount of support I received. I really feel more appreciated and seen than I have in a long time.”

As president, Glock said her next plans are to meet with the elected executive team and “hash out a plan for what we’re going to start work on as soon as we get in those offices.”

Michael Griffiths, a fifth-year honours political science student and current SU vice-president (student life), came in second. Griffiths received 42 per cent of the votes in the first round, and 47 per cent of votes in the second round. 

“Obviously, you know, [I’m] disappointed. Not the result I was looking for. But, great to see such good things for all the other candidates. I’m sure the team next year is going to do great. I’m really proud of everyone for running such great campaigns,” Griffiths said. 

Griffiths said he will convocate in June and continue to serve students as he finishes the rest of his term as vice-president (student life).

-Dylana Twittey

Abbasi elected as next vice-president (external), wins by 29 votes

Abdul Abbasi, a third-year biology student from Augustana Campus, was elected as the next vice-president (external) by 29 votes in the second ballot.

“I’m super happy. I’m the first one from Augustana to be part of the executive team. I will make sure everyone is represented,” Abbasi said. 

Abbasi said his next steps are to talk to Chris Beasley, the current vice-president (external) and to work on tuition and financial aid.

Logan West, a fourth-year film studies student, came in second. 

“I’m incredibly grateful for all the support I’ve had through this — my friends, my family, my professors. I’m really proud of myself for running. It was a scary thing to do considering a woman hadn’t been in the position for a really long time,” West said.

“To even put myself out there and to hear so much from the women of this campus of how inspiring it was to see a woman running for the role,” West added.

West said her next steps are to go on a “Logan West apology tour to all my professors for missing classes.”

-Lale Fassone, with files from Katie Teeling

Flaman re-elected as vice-president (operations and finance) by 42 per cent

Levi Flaman, a fifth-year open studies student, was re-elected as vice-president (operations and finance).

Flaman won the race by 42 per cent in the second round. Joachim Bony from Campus Saint-Jean (CSJ), a third-year business, economics, and law student received 37 per cent of the votes.

“I was super nervous,” Flaman said after the results. He addressed concerns about his performance during the election campaign, and promised to approach his opponent about some of his ideas. 

“I’m excited to come back to work. I’m going to celebrate … then I’m going to get caught up on all the homework I missed the last two weeks.”

Bony said he was disappointed he didn’t win, but hoped that “[Flaman] has the support of everybody going forward.”

Bony talked about his experience running, and his pride for the work his team did during the campaign. 

Addressing the results, he said he’s “glad that this exercise of democracy went so well.”

When asked about his next move, Bony said he’ll be finishing his degree, and “moving on to better things.”

-Declan Carpenter-Hall

Alhussainy elected as vice-president (academic), Elgaweesh disqualified from race

Layla Alhussainy, a fourth-year sociology and religious studies student, won the vice-president (academic) position over Farah Elgaweesh, a first-year nursing student. 

The SU Elections Office did not release the number of votes counted in the race, as they were removed from counting. Sithara Naidoo, the SU’s deputy returning officer, confirmed that Elgaweesh was disqualified from the race.

“I think this is a very unfair decision, based on a lot of evidence I have gathered,” Elgaweesh said in an Instagram post. “There’s a lot more information that will be coming up in the next few days.” 

When asked how she felt about winning, Alhussainy said she was “overwhelmed with emotions.”

“I’m grateful that I was trusted for this position, and I will keep my promises and fight for everybody’s academic success.” 

Alhussainy’s immediate plans after winning include working with her team to “figure out how to proceed with ensuring [they] can serve [the] student body at the U of A.”

At her loss, Elgaweesh expressed that she has “a lot to say,” and that her plans will “depend on a lot that will happen in the future.”

“A lot is going to be said in the next couple of days, so a lot more information will be provided.”

At 10:50 p.m., the SU posted that Alhussainy was named the interim-elect, but confirmation will come after a Discipline, Interpretation, and Enforcement (DIE) Board hearing.

-Aparajita Rahman

Alva elected vice-president (student life) with 54 per cent of the votes

Renson Alva, a fourth-year biological sciences student, was elected to be the new vice-president (student life) with 54 per cent of the votes in the first round. 

Alva said that the “student voice spoke” and he’s happy with the result. “I look forward to starting work on May 1 when we get to the office,” Alva said. 

Regarding next steps, Alva plans to be present on campus and in the community. 

“I look forward to being familiar among the community [and] learning their issues as I go into the term,” Alva said. 

Adrian Lam, a fourth-year biology Augustana student, received 30 per cent of the votes. He said he was disappointed at the loss. But, Lam said he got what he wished for — Augustana representation in the SU.

“That’s still a win at the end of the day for Augustana Campus. And showing Augustana students that we can still participate in our SU. And that we shouldn’t be concerned that we don’t have a say, because we do,” Lam said. 

Lam said that other than convocating in the spring, he is unsure of next steps, but will see where the future takes him.

-Peris Jones, with files from Aparajita Rahman

Lam elected as BoG Representative with 78 per cent of the votes

Adrien Lam, a fourth-year immunology student, was elected as the next Board of Governors (BoG) representative, with 78 per cent of the votes. Lam ran in an uncontested race. 

In her interview, Lam said that the last woman to run for BoG representative did so in “2004, two decades ago.” 

“I want to prove to everybody that this role is not only open to men, but also women as well,” Lam added. “I’m going to do my very best to push that platform out, and take any suggestions that you guys give me.” 

In addition, Lam said she will “work towards creating something that will unite all students together.” Her next steps are to start working on her virtual platform. 

“It’s going to be quite hard to code everything.”

-Aparajita Rahman, with files from Katie Teeling

CJSR plebiscite passes with 52 per cent of the votes

The CJSR plebiscite passed with 52 per cent of the votes. 

“I’m so grateful,” Brittany Rudyck, the president of CJSR said. “The support is really validating for the work that CJSR does in promoting weird music and local artists and getting people into live broadcasting. So I’m feeling really hopeful.” 

In terms of next steps, Rudyck discussed spending more time on campus and in the community. 

“What I would like to do for the next five years is just spend more time on campus and [get] to know the students,” Rudyck said. 

Rudyck also wants to “[collaborate] with different student groups to create more diverse programming because we have a lot of music and community voices. This plebiscite shows that students really care about community radio. I would love to see more students involved.” 

-Peris Jones

ESS referendum passes with 67 per cent of the votes 

The Engineering Students’ Society (ESS) referendum passed with 67 per cent of the votes. 

Jayden Brooks, the co-president of the ESS, said that he feels great about the ESS referendum passing. 

“This is a huge increase for this year, that was very scary for a lot of students. But I think at the end of the day, it’s for the best,” Brooks said. 

Regarding next steps, Brooks said that financial transparency is key moving forward. 

“Something we’ve taken way more seriously in this past decade is financial transparency. Ensuring the organization is run not only as best as can be, but it’s the best, most well-run, and most efficient faculty association,” Brooks said. 

-Peris Jones

HCA referendum passes with 60 per cent of the votes

The HUB mall Community Association (HCA) passed its referendum with 60 per cent of the votes.

“I’m really pleased by the results,” Kelvin Au, a fourth-year dietetics student and the HCA’s vice-president, said. 

When asked for comment by The Gateway, Au talked about the hard work he and his team did to reach out to HUB residents. “I’m proud to say that we have engaged the residents much better.”

“Our next move is to continue our work,” he said. He said the HCA has its own elections coming-up soon, and plans for further expansion. But for now, Au expressed his “[hope] for the future of this organization.”

-Declan Carpenter-Hall

International House Committee Council does not pass

The International House Committee Council (IHCC) referendum didn’t pass the vote, with only 15 votes, and a 12 per cent turnout. 

I-house was not available for comment.

-Declan Carpenter-Hall

ISA referendum does not pass due to turn-out

The International Students’ Association’s (ISA) referendum did not pass due to not meeting the 15 per cent threshold of voter turnout. A total of 628 votes were cast, with 335 in favour.

Incoming ISA co-president, Ramish Raza, did not know that the ISA did not meet the threshold during an interview with The Gateway. He said that if that is the case, there was a failure in communicating with international students. However, if it was students voting against it, then he said that international students want something different from ISA.

“The next step is definitely identifying the gap between the ISA and international students, especially in Augustana and CSJ. Once I am in office, we’ll come up with new events [and] programs. We’ll talk to the international students through surveys, through open forums to learn what went wrong and what they are expecting differently from us,” Raza said.

-Lale Fassone

ISU passes with 68 per cent of the vote

The Indigenous Students’ Union (ISU) plebiscite passed with 68 per cent of the vote.

“My heart still hasn’t stopped racing and I just can’t wait to see what we’re going to do next,” Sophie Martel, ISU president, said.

Martel said the ISU plans to more scholarships for students available. Additionally, Martel is hoping to secure a travel grant for Indigenous students to travel “across Canada and across the world to be able to spread our education and our teachings.”

-Dylana Twittey, with files from Lily Polenchuk

OASIS passes with 75 per cent of the votes

The Organization for Arts Students and Interdisciplinary Studies (OASIS) student representative association membership fee (SRAMF) passed with 75 per cent of the votes. 

Alhussainy said that Results Night made it clear that the Faculty of Arts matters. 

“We have an arts representative being our vice-president (academic), and the arts SRAMF got renewed. I am thrilled. I couldn’t have asked for a better night,” Alhussainy said.

“Right now my biggest goal until the end of the year is to make sure the Arts Gala and the research conference happen. We have [the Arts Gala] scheduled for April 11. We encourage everyone from every faculty to come see arts pride, arts culture, arts knowledge, and have a blast,” Alhussainy said.

-Lale Fassone

The Gateway referendum passes with 60 per cent of the votes

The Gateway referendum passed with 60 per cent of the votes. 

Emily Williams, board chair of the Gateway Student Journalism Society (GSJS), expressed enthusiasm at the result. 

”I couldn’t be happier, oh my God,” Williams said. 

In regards to The Gateway’s future plans, Williams said it “wasn’t for [her] to decide.” However, she said that the incoming editor-in-chief would have a fully-funded organization for the “first time in three years.” 

“I am so excited to see what she does with that,” Williams said. “I know she’s going to do such great things.”

-Aparajita Rahman

The Landing passes with 60 per cent of the votes

The Landing, a centre for gender and sexual diversity at the U of A, saw its referendum pass with 60 per cent of the votes.

Emily Lukacs, the student coordinator at The Landing, said she’s “so excited and so grateful. We really needed this.”

Lukacs’ and The Landing’s next steps include “everything,” such as plans to expand the services offered, because “students [need] this.”

-Declan Carpenter-Hall, with files from Lily Polenchuk