Grant MacNeil was announced the new president of the Graduate Students’ Association (GSA) March 21, although results have yet to be ratified by the GSA council.
Around 10 per cent of the graduate student body cast a ballot, which is consistent with previous years, according to chief electoral officers Mohammadreza Ataei Naeini and Nyssa McLeod.
It was the first time in three years that the position of president was contested, although MacNeil finished with a solid lead over opposing candidate Ron Couchman, getting 219 votes, approximately 74 per cent of votes on unspoiled ballots.
There were similar results in the election of Maggie Simpson to the position of vice-president (operations), elected with a total of 220 votes.
Two election violation notices involving over-spending and campaigning rules were handed out to Couchman by the chief electoral officers, according the GSA’s website.
The referendum question that sought a $5.00 per term increase to the association’s levy was also approved by 229 votes. The increase will result in $40,000 of additional funds for the GSA, according to current president Kelly Black.
The electoral officers also said that there were no election appeals this year, and that the results will remain unofficial until they are ratified at the GSA council meeting on April 12.
