UNA Content with Voter Turnout in Board Elections

The first-ever online UNA board of director elections were a resounding success, the UNA says.

This month, for the first time, residents were able to vote electronically using a system UNA staff said is secure and designed to make voting simpler and more accessible.

The voting period for the elections began on Nov. 4, and concluded on Nov. 26 with the announcement of the results. Directors on the new UNA board are expected to begin their terms on Dec. 10.

During the election, eligible voters were able to vote using a smartphone, computer, tablet device, or in person at two kiosks that were set up at the Wesbrook Community Centre.

“Everything ran very smoothly with the new online voting system,” said UNA chief administrative officer Paul Thorkelsson. “Thanks to UNA staff’s hard work and months of planning, we seamlessly integrated online voting into our usual election process.”

Previously, elections were carried out by mail, with voting packages sent to all UNA society members. During the 2023 annual general meeting, a bylaw amendment to implement online voting was approved by an overwhelming majority of society members.

At the time, part of the rationale in transitioning to online voting was a desire to help increase voter turnout. A total of 1,002 ballots were cast during last month’s election for a total of 4,533 votes, resulting in the election of 6 new directors with one incumbent returning for another term.

The previous election held in 2021 resulted in 6,537 votes based on 1,209 ballots; however that turnout was seen as an outlier due to the pandemic. In the 2019 elections, only 2,756 votes were cast.

“We’ve tempered our expectations in terms of turnout because we recognize that change will affect it; however, we are very pleased to see that turnout was higher this year than any other election except for 2021 which was an unusual year due to COVID,” said Thorkelsson. “As residents become more comfortable using this new system, we are looking forward to seeing how that might affect turnout in the coming years.”

Thorkelsson added it is likely the UNA would continue using online voting for future elections. “That said, the UNA is a society, and its members dictate how we hold these elections.”

EMMANUEL SAMOGLOU IS THE MANAGING EDITOR OF THE CAMPUS RESIDENT.