A-Team loses big time
Results for the VUWSA general elections were released last Friday, with current Education Vice President Joel Cosgrove announced as President, over incumbent Geoff Hayward and A-Team hopeful Lukas Schroeter.
Characteristic of a VUWSA election, voter turnout was again low with around 12 per cent of students casting votes despite electronic ballots delivered to student email addresses.
However, the figure reflects the trend of an increasing number of voters, with this year’s total of 2432 significantly higher than 1042 in 2006 and 996 in 2005.
The results were announced at 9:30pm – two hours after predicted, and by that time Salient was drunk and Queer Rights Officer candidate Rachael Wright had given Schroeter a lap-dance.
Education Vice President since mid-2006, Cosgrove will assume next year’s presidency following a close margin of 34 votes. Hayward and Schroeter gained 953 and 492 votes each respectively.
Cosgrove says he is stoked with the election win. He says he won because “I campaigned hard and I wasn’t trying to dick on clubs and students in general.”
Acting Welfare Vice President Reverend Paul Danger Brown will take over as Education Vice President in 2008, while former Acting Women’s Rights’ Officer Georgie Glitter Dickson and Queer Rights Officer Rachael Wright were both re-elected.
Other successful candidates include Treasurer Alexander Neilson, who will assume the newly-created position of Administration Vice President. The role replaces Neilson’s current position as Treasurer following a constitutional amendment passed at last month’s Annual General Meeting.
“[Even though] it seems to be more a backlash against the A-Team,” Neilson says, “it feels good to have won.”
Clubs Officer Melissa Barnard, who received more than three-quarters of votes for the position of Welfare Vice President, was also a candidate for one of five positions on the General Executive and earned sufficient votes to be elected. However, because the Constitution allows a candidate to assume only one position, it is anticipated that she will forgo the general exec position, and that current Education Officer Stefan Tyler – who gained the sixth highest number of votes – will assume the vacancy, in line with a Constitutional convention.
Voters also elected a number of new faces to the VUWSA exec, including Environmental Officer Mark Newton, and General Exec members Fiona McDonald, Seamus Brady, Sonny Thomas and Katie De Roo.
Council Representative was extremely close, with a difference of two votes. Christopher Bishop received 708 votes, while Sonny Thomas received 706. Thomas has called for a recount, telling Salient “I think [the margin’s] too small not to call a recount. With over 200 paper ballets cast there is room for error – I just want to be certain. If the vote stands, Chris Bishop has my full support.”
All A-Team candidates were unsuccessful in their bids for election.