Alex Muller

I did a pretty decent job of calling last year’s YUSU election results well in advance of the night (which was fantastic from a YSTV coverage point of view), so I thought I’d give this year a go too.

A Recap

Last year, I said it was between Langrish and Ngwena for President, and Ngwena took it. Student Activities was won by Rhianna Kinchin, so I called that one totally wrong. Democracy & Services was won by Bretts, Charlie won Academic Affairs, Ben grabbed Welfare and Emily got York Sport, so I got those four right. Still, what’s that? 4½-ish/6 ain’t bad.

President

This year, there are six candidates for President. We remove the joke candidate, David Hansen (whose two minute hustings video is absolutely superb, by the way), and we’re left with five. David Levene is too boring, Matthew Freckleton is too unknown and Roberto Powell is (in my own honest opinion) too much of a dick.

Down to two, Ollie Hutchings and current President Tim. I reckon it’ll be fairly close between these two, with Tim getting it as student apathy leans toward the incumbent-who-hasn’t-destroyed-our-union.

Student Activities

Of the four candidates, this will go to either Luke or Nick; they’re the two most visible and involved with campus day-to-day. Nick Scarlett will probably just get it. He seems to have had quite a large ‘following’ (well, of sorts) for as long as I can remember.

Democracy & Services

Chris Etheridge is the safe, stable, normal—and boring—choice; but there’s no way he’ll win. As somebody on Nouse commented during hustings:

Dear Chris Etheridge,

Please return my personality forthwith.

Yours,

John Major

So it’s between Sam Daniels and Dan Walker. This will be the closest of the sabbatical candidates, with Sam just edging it.

Academic Affairs

Jason Rose has too much YUSU-goo attached to him (which desperately needs wiping off), and Matt & Elanin are too unknown, so I think current Welfare office Ben Humphrys will get this.

Welfare

Of the three candidates, one (Andrew McIlwraith) has pulled out - or wasn’t running to start with; so we’re down to Laura or Peter Warner-Medley. Pete took part in York Come Dancing last term, and is generally better known, so he’ll get it. He also has the only other hustings video truly worth seeing.

York Sport

Another close one, but I think Sam will take this over Rob. No real reason, just a gut feeling; possibly more charismatic, slightly easier to imagine getting on with it.

…and who do I want? What, me?

I’d like Tim to be President for another year. He knows what goes on properly now, and everybody knows him; so there’ll be no time wasted and he can get the most out of the year for us.

I want Nick Scarlett to win Student Activities for his policies, Dan Walker to win Democracy & Services, any of Elanin, Matt or Ben (preferably) to be Academic Affairs Officer and Peter to be Welfare Officer.

I’d like to leave you with another comment from ‘Ernie Goldberg’ on Nouse, left during the Presidential Debate from this last week. It’s since been removed, but luckily I grabbed a screenshot at the time:

God why don’t you just all stop wasting everyone’s time. Trousers down, let’s see who’s biggest

Voting opens midnight Monday (in about twenty minutes time) and probably closes at some point before the results next Saturday night, for which YSTV will be providing live coverage all night long.