Exeter smashes election turnout record

This is higher than the 33.8% turnout for the 2008 Haltemprice & Howden by-election where David Davis was elected MP for the Conservative Party.

The average turnout for students’ union elections is just 13.8%, according to the National Union of Students (NUS).

Exeter had its largest number of candidates standing for election this year with 33 students battling for six sabbatical posts. The huge number of candidates also resulted in a record 710 canvassers.

‘Elections are key to any Students Union and it’s no different here,’ says current Guild President John Cox. ‘The ideal of students as co-directors of their education is a big hit and can only continue to improve as we move the Guild and the University into a modern era.’

The new President of the University of Exeter Students’ Guild is Richard Stearn, who shot to fame earlier this year as captain of the University Challenge team. Exeter reached the quarter finals before losing to the remarkable Gail Trimble and the Corpus Christi College, Oxford team.

Information for Editors:
The six sabbatical officers for 2009/10 are:
President – Richard Stearn
Deputy President – Marte Billington
Finance, Activities and Trading Officer – Gemma Richens
Welfare and Equal Opportunities Officer – Matt Richards
Education Officer – Llewellyn Morris
Athletic Union President – Tom Murray

In 2008, 3818 Exeter students voted in the Guild elections, representing 24.5% of the student population.