Mohamed “Faris” Riazudden, current vice-president (student issues) of the Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA), has been elected president. Only 13.4 per cent of undergraduate students voted in the election, annulling the results of all three referendums on the ballot.

Results were announced at the CUSA-owned Ollie’s Pub and Patio. An emotional Riazudden took the stage following the announcement of his victory, thanking voters.

“I want to bring back honesty, integrity and respect back to the office of CUSA,” Riazudden said. “I promise you I’m going to work every day to make that true.”

Riazudden received 1,671 out of 3,336 votes, about 50 per cent. In second, the option to re-open nominations received 933 votes, about 28 per cent. Raiden Dean finished last with 732 votes, about 22 per cent. 

After one round of vote redistribution, Riazudden received 1,752 out of 2,557 votes, about 69 per cent, while Dean received 805 votes, about 31 per cent. 

Raiden Dean and Mohamed “Faris” Riazudden prepare to hear the results of the CUSA presidential election at Carleton University’s Ollie’s Pub and Patio on Wednesday, February 15, 2023. [Photo by L. Manuel Baechlin/The Charlatan]
Undergraduate students also voted overwhelmingly in favour of the creation of a levy fee for the Unified Support Centre and for the removal of the Millenium Promise levy fee, with about 71 per cent and 75 per cent in favour, respectively. 

 

But, due to a voter turnout 1.6 per cent below the 15 per cent requirement for CUSA’s financial referenda as outlined by the university’s Board of Governors, no referendum result will be applicable.

“Hopefully, we will have more students vote in subsequent elections,” chief returning officer Connor Plante said.

Mohamed “Faris” Riazudden has been elected CUSA president. [Chart by Mark Ramzy]
A referendum on increasing the CUSA clubs and societies levy fee was rejected by voters, with 42 per cent in favour.

 

Last year’s general election had a comparable voter turnout of 13.2 per cent. Students voted to remove the Millenium Promise levy fee then as well, with approximately 77 per cent of voters in favour.

Twenty-seven out of 39 councillor candidates were also elected. There will be five vacant seats in the next council due to a lack of candidates.

The option to reopen nominations did not receive a majority of the votes in any of the faculty councillor races, but received the most votes out of all candidates prior to vote redistribution in three out of the five races.

Elected councillors start their terms March 12. Riazudden starts his term as president May 1 alongside the next set of vice-presidents, who will be elected by council at CUSA’s annual general meeting in March.

Here are the newly elected CUSA councillors:

Faculty of Engineering and Design:

  • Sarah Janmohamed
  • Marc Anthony El Khoury
  • Addy Bakshi
  • Souroush Siddiq
  • Puru Parth Verma

Faculty of Science:

  • JayIn D’Jan
  • Parihan Parihan
  • Maheeshan Sivanesan
  • Sameer Khan
  • Edi Ekeng
  • Kaniz Fathma Sinethyah

Faculty of Public Affairs:

  • Rachel Awad
  • Keana Solimar Cavero
  • Aiden Rohacek
  • Aya Abu Sheikh
  • Michael Huynh
  • Clara Borba
  • Nabiha Bilgrami

Sprott School of Business:

  • Youssef El Nil
  • Zeba Munira
  • Diya Kulkarni

Featured image by L. Manuel Baechlin.

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