Victoria Silman | Contributor
Featured image: Voter turnout decreased from 13 per cent last year, to only 12 per cent this year. | Basma Elbahnasawy
The York Federation of Students (YFS) elections have ended and the ballots have been counted. UniteYU has won all but two positions in the YFS government.
UniteYU has taken every executive position: Rawan Habib as President, Sebastien Lalonde as Vice-President (VP) Campaigns and Advocacy, Anthony Fernandes as VP Campus Life, Jordan Madeira as VP Operations, and Aminat Arigbabu as VP Equity.
As for college and faculty directors, UniteYU candidates took all but two positions; Director of the Faculty of Education, which Team ABC won with 84 of 120 votes; and the Lassonde School of Engineering Director, which Team ABC won by default.
Voter turnout for the executive positions was just over 6,000, roughly 280 of which were spoiled, which was down one per cent from last year’s 13 per cent. Last year, the ballot count for executive positions totalled approximately 7,000.
College director positions saw a turnout of approximately 6,200, with 36 spoiled on average, and faculty director positions had a turn out of close to 5,400, with about 43 spoiled on average.
According to the YFS Chief Returning Officer (CRO), Mohammad Balil Nasir—who oversees the election process—there were no appeals after the release of the election outcomes.
However, there were appeals concerning alleged campaign violations prior to the final ballot count, one of which was filed by VP Campaigns and Advocacy Candidate Sajeth Paskaran.
The appeal stated that the CRO originally approved posters stating YFS’ revenue budget as $3.3 million in Momentum’s campaign posters, but later asked the slate to change the value on posters.
The CRO concluded $3.3 million as the operating budget, while the actual revenue budget proved to be $3.1 million. The appeal was later overturned by the Elections Appeal Committee, allowing Momentum to continue using the posters with the original budget.
Students have voiced concerns regarding YFS’ operating budget, which is confirmed to be $3.3 million according to a 2017 YFS Statement of Operations report, provided by the General Assemblies Now Coalition.
Students have also expressed an increasing concern regarding the lack of transparency in YFS elections.
When asked about issues of transparency, and how the CRO works to keep the elections transparent, Nasir says: “There were no issues of transparency, as the elections are transparent.”
When asked a series of questions during the electoral process, including how debates are organized and promoted, whether online voting is a possibility in the future, and the selection process of the CRO, the UniteYU team adds: “Since the rest of the questions are about the electoral process, we, as a slate running for the elections, aren’t at the capacity to answer.”
A student who wishes to remain anonymous says: “Rather than transparent and fair, the election process is secretive, and heavily favours incumbents who set the rules behind closed doors with no oversight. The debate was not advertised, and had less than one-tenth of a per cent of the student population in attendance.
“The CRO is hired by the YFS—therefore the incumbents—and as a result, cannot be fully independent from the elections committee or the incumbent party.”
Eduardo Rodríguez, the former campaign manager of YUFirst, which was the 2014 opposition slate to Student Action (now UniteYU), says: “The system is rigged in favour of the incumbents. Most of the executives are already graduated, or only taking one course at York. They can afford to campaign. Meanwhile, people in opposition slates are much busier.
“It’s hard for undergraduates to set up a strong opposition. Not only that, but opposition slates are always painted as ‘right-wing’ for various reasons.”
The 2014 election saw Student Action win all but one position.
A number of students echo Rodríguez’s concerns, believing that the YFS is centred around an unsteady electoral system.
Ghizlane, a third-year Global Political Studies student, says: “I think there needs to be more student parties to better represent the student body, and the opportunities for that are slim because of the YFS’ undemocratic by-laws.”
Online voting is also at the forefront of student concern during YFS elections.
Evolve YU, a student-run initiative, advocates for including online voting, and is supported by a myriad of students looking for a similar outcome.
First-year Screenwriting student Henry Gerharz adds: “I want them to introduce online voting, and give York students who want their voices to be heard that opportunity.”
