The University of Toronto Graduate Students’ Union (UTGSU) publicly released the unofficial results of its 2021–2022 executive elections on April 26, with 15 candidates vying for seven positions.

The results were released over three weeks after voting closed on April 3. Chief Returning Officer (CRO) Adrian Aziz confirmed to The Varsity that the delay was caused by an appeal filed by one candidate. According to Aziz, the CRO and Elections and Referenda Committee (ERC) found the results of the election to be valid following the appeal. 

Out of 19,356 possible voters, 863 graduate students voted in this election, for a total of 4.5 per cent total voter turnout. This was a slight increase in voter turnout from last year, which had 3.7 per cent voter turnout.  

The UTGSU general council will vote on whether to ratify the results of the election at its next meeting on April 27. The new terms for executives are set to begin on May 1. 

Results

Six out of seven executive positions for the next year were won by current executives. The remaining seventh position was won by former executive Justin Patrick, who narrowly defeated opponent Kirthika Shanmugham by 14 votes. Patrick previously served as internal commissioner in 2019. 

For academics & funding commissioner, divisions 1 & 2, Dhanela Sivaparan won re-election with 473 votes. Sivaparan beat opponent Bryan Liceralde by 290 votes. 

For academics & funding commissioner, divisions 3 & 4, Danielle Karakas won with 561 votes, beating opponent Jesse Velay-Vitow in the first round by 439 votes. Karakas is the current civics and environment commissioner. 

An-Noûra Compaoré won civics and environment commissioner with 379 votes, beating opponents Jacqui Spencer and Tua Hytonen in the first round of the ranked ballot. Compaoré is the current finance commissioner. 

For finance commissioner, June Li won with 451 votes, beating both opponents Sevgi Arslan and Ali Reza Monfared in the first round of the ranked ballot system. Li is the current academics & funding commissioner, divisions 3 & 4.

For internal commissioner, Sarah Alam won re-election with 339 votes. Alam beat opponent Delphine Ji by just 29 votes. 

Lwanga Musisi won re-election as university governance commissioner with 614 votes. The position was the sole one that was uncontested. 

Disclosure: Shanmugham will serve on the 2021–2022 Board of Directors for Varsity Publications Inc. 

Editor’s note (April 26): This article has been updated to correct that Alam beat Ji by 29 votes, not 19.