The latest Camosun College Student Society (CCSS) elections, held April 3-5, showed how important single votes can be, with the Interurban executive position being decided by a mere 12 votes.
Jordan Sandwith, a first-year computer systems technician student, narrowly defeated Deana Srdic, a third-year business administration marketing communications student.
“One vote, 12 votes—a win is a win in my eyes,” says Srdic, who was outside Canada for the election.
Less than 10 percent of students enrolled at Camosun participated in this year’s CCSS elections, which also saw the election of a number of other positions for both campuses.
Srdic says she realizes just how busy students can be. Between balancing class schedules, homework, and socializing, it can be a challenge for students to find time to vote, but she says it does matter that they do.
“It’s incredibly important that students do take every opportunity to vote,” she says. “The student society makes decisions that directly impact Camosun students. Voting for an elected board is essential.”
Sandwith says that while voter turnout was poor, it was still higher than it was last year.
“In the last election there were less than 150 people who voted at Interurban,” says Sandwith. “I think we doubled that this year.”
Such a tight election actually generated more excitement and anticipation for Sandwith.
“It was a close race,” says Sandwith. “I think there were other positions that came very close, so it was a very close race this year. It was exciting.”
When Sandwith heard preliminary results on the last evening of the elections, he knew it was going to be close.
“I think both people running for the position have a lot to offer,” he says. “It was a close race for obvious reasons.”
Newly elected student society representatives:
External executive – Madeline Keller-MacLeod
Finance executive – Chris Marks
Lansdowne executive – Piotor Burek
Interurban executive – Jordan Sandwith
Women’s director – Elizabeth Morris
Pride director – Daphne Crossman
Students with disabilities director – Chantal Kyffin
First Nations director – Josh Goodwill
International director – Bonita Ba
Lansdowne director – Cullum Eric Harrison
Lansdowne director – Megan Marshall
Lansdowne director – Sean Murray
Interurban director – Anthony McGill