SA announces election results
After a one-day delay in results, Trevor Tobey has been elected as the next Student Association president, receiving 74.7% of first-place votes against write-in candidate Callum Flemister, who received 17.4% of votes.
A Hanzen College junior and SA Parliamentarian, Tobey ran on a platform of increasing initiative fund money, supporting cultural clubs and adding $10 printing credits.
A Duncan College junior, Flemister ran on a platform of accessible study spots, engaging the student body, proposing for a campus playground and clearer communication between administration and students.
1,375 students voted in the election, amounting to a voter turnout of 29.02%, a sharp decrease from last year’s turnout of 42.09%.
Sohani Sandhu secured the internal vice president position in a race against Ananya Nair. Sandhu, a McMurtry College junior, took 52.9% of first-place votes, while Nair, a McMurtry freshman, claimed 42%.
Mahtab Dastur will serve as the next external vice president after Lajward Zahra dropped out of the race, and Jackson Darr will serve as the next treasurer. Both ran uncontested races, with Darr being added after the treasurer application was extended and amidst ballot confusions.
As the Secretary ballot had no student on it, the position will move to a special election by the SA.
The ballot also included five constitutional amendments, of which none passed due to voter turnouts below 20%. Turnout for amendments was lower than elected positions, topping out at 901 total votes for the first amendment — 19.02% of the student population.
Amendment #1 received 92.78% of votes in favor. The amendment made changes to the SA constitution to improve grammar, remove typos and clarify jargon.
Amendment #2 received 76.43% of votes in favor, with a turnout of 802 students. The amendment enhanced the SA president’s power by implementing veto power over Senate bills, resolutions and amendments. This comes in conjunction with lowering constitutional amendments to a majority vote by the Senate. It also gives the SA ultimate authority over their own budget, Blanket Tax and Blanket Tax Organizations.
Amendment #3 received 75.63% of votes in favor, for a turnout of 792 students. The amendment aims to increase financial transparency by removing two officers of blanket tax organizations from the blanket tax committee, replacing them with three SA senators, leaving alone the three SA members without leadership positions in blanket tax organizations.
Amendment 3 also changes the committee to review applications annually instead of biannually per semester. The amendment also raises the threshold for an organization to be added as a blanket tax organization to be from a majority to a two-thirds vote by the senate.
Amendment #4 received 86.72% of votes in favor, for a total of 753 students. The amendment clarifies rules on campus elections and campus referenda. It removes the provision allowing the removal of elected officials outside of impeachment procedures, ensuring that candidates are removed according to formal impeachment policy. The amendment also clarifies the definition of referenda, and standardizes the process for initiatives and referendums.
Amendment #5 received 74.79% of votes in favor, for a total of 821 students. The amendment raises the Blanket Tax from $85 to $90.
The ballot also included elections for Blanket Tax Organization presidents. This includes the Campanile editor-in-chief (Alexa Bu), Thresher editor-in-chiefs (Kathleen Ortiz and Sarah Knowlton), KTRU station manager (Chloe Diehl), Rice Rally co-presidents (Priya Amour, Hanna Wixom and Morgan Toran), Rice Program Council president (Olivia Finch), University Court chair (Othniel Amanyi) and Rice Women’s Resource Center directors (Cheryl Lee, Chloé Serna).
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