Six Students’ Council vacancies filled in 2026 by-election
Voter turnout in the 2026 fall by-election was 1.82 per cent of undergraduate students, down from last year.
Helen ZhangFrom October 21 to 22, students voted in a by-election to fill vacancies on the University of Alberta Students’ Union (UASU) Students’ Council. Students elected six new councillors.
Voter turnout was 1.82 per cent of the student body, with a total of 716 votes cast. This is a decrease from the fall 2025 by-election, which had a 2.7 per cent voter turnout.
Of the 716 ballots cast this year, 211 were blank. The faculty of law saw the highest turnout of 10.58 per cent of undergraduate students.
In previous years, the fall by-election also included candidates for the General Faculties Council undergraduate vacancies. This year, GFC was not included in the fall by-election. 18 of the 39 undergraduate faculty seats remain vacant.
Students’ Council
Students’ Council oversees the UASU. Councillors are responsible for ensuring that the UASU fulfils its mandate. The number of seats per faculty is determined by undergraduate enrolment. Nine candidates ran in total. The law, nursing, and science seats each had two candidates. Agriculture, life, and environmental sciences (ALES), Augustana, and pharmacy candidates ran uncontested.
Prior to the by-election, Students’ Council had eight vacancies. After the by-election, the Native studies, kinesology, sports, and recreation, and open studies seats remain vacant.
ALES: Emma Thomson
AUGUESTANA: Amanda Dunbar
LAW: Alexandria Curran-Cook
NURSING: Abigail Yohannes
PHARMACY: Merit Elmerry
SCIENCE: Shlok Shah
The unofficial results will be ratified at the next Students’ Council meeting.
