Team AJA voted next AMS executive

Sam Hiemstra voted 37th rector

Image by: Tessa Warburton

As voting closed Wednesday night, 28.3 per cent of AMS members voted to elect next year’s undergraduate student leaders.

AMS

Voters elected Team AJA, comprised of President-elect Jared den Otter, Vice-President-elect (Operations) Alexandra Samoyloff, and Vice-President-elect (University Affairs) Alexia Henriques, as the Society’s next executives.

The team secured 82.3 per cent of votes to secure the student body’s confidence.

Den Otter said the team is “ecstatic.”

“We are so thankful; we are so excited for the upcoming year. We put our heart and soul into this, and we are ready to help our students, and we are ready to listen, and we’re ready to work together. We are so ready,” he told The Journal Wednesday night.

Samoyloff expressed similar gratitude. “Thank you so much to everyone that believed in us and supported us. I think we appreciate all the feedback and support and we’re so excited and thankful to do our best.”

Henriques added that she’s “so excited, so thrilled.”

“This feels like a dream. We’re really excited to work together for the next couple of months and transition with the current exec.”

Rector

Queen’s International Affairs Association President Sam Hiemstra has been voted Queen’s 37th rector, replacing Alex da Silva in the first uncontested rector election in at least two decades.

Hiemstra received 93 per cent of votes, securing confidence from both AMS and SGPS students.

“It feels incredible to see all these student leaders out here celebrating,” he told The Journal on Wednesday night. “We all love student engagement. That’s why we got into this. I’m very excited to get into the office. I’m excited to learn how the system works and make sure that system is as accessible to students as possible. I’m just very happy—very in the moment right now.”

ASUS

Team David and Matt, comprised of Student Senate Caucus Chair David Niddam-Dent, ArtSci ’22, and Matt D’Alessandro, ArtSci ’22, have been elected the president and vice-president of ASUS for the 2020-21 year.

In one of only two contested elections across both the AMS and SGPS this year, Team David and Matt were elected over Team Chris and Taylor, comprised of Chris Yuen, ArtSci ‘21, and Taylor Magee, ArtSci ‘21.

“[We’re] just so excited to get to work. That’s what it is. I want to first thank Chris and Taylor—they ran an absolutely incredible campaign,” Niddam-Dent told The Journal on Wednesday night. “When we started this campaign, we said, ‘We’re bringing ASUS to you.’ Tomorrow, we get to work on that. That’s what matters—tomorrow we get to work.”

D’Alessandro also thanked Team Chris and Taylor: “From our consultation meetings to all our discussions with Arts and Science students, it’s been an incredible journey. I couldn’t thank Chris and Taylor enough, current ASUS Council, and everyone for their support, especially my running-mate and good friend, David.”

Yuen said he was happy for Team David and Matt. “It was an incredible campaign, I think, in terms of both sides. We really want to thank David and Matt for running such a positive campaign and keeping it really respectful,” he told The Journal Wednesday night.

Engineering Society

In an uncontested election, Spencer Lee gained a vote of confidence to become the next EngSoc President.

“I feel excited,” he said at Clark Hall on Wednesday night. “I’m glad to see a bunch of my friends out, I’m very happy that Clark was able to have us here. It’s a great place to be elected. It’s a familiar place and it’s a place that’s always filled with great memories. I’m very confident and I look forward to the coming year.”

The EngSoc executive team for the 2020-21 year is comprised of Vice-President-elect (Operations) Ben Zarichny and Vice-President-elect (Student Affairs) Alex Koch-Fitsialos.

“I feel amazing, I feel the best I’ve ever felt,” Zarichny told The Journal Wednesday night.

Koch-Fitsialos shared Zarichny’s excitement. “I’m really excited, I think there’s going to be a lot of good changes,” she said.

SGPS

With 25.3 per cent voter turnout, the SGPS elected Justine Aman its next president. 

Aman received 92.1 per cent of votes, securing confidence in an uncontested election.

“I want to extend my compliments to all of the candidates and clubs in both the SGPS and AMS election and referendums for running such wonderful campaigns. Special congratulations to all successful parties; student democracy is such an important part of academia and I am very excited to see how everyone steps up to fulfil their platforms,” she told The Journal in a post-election statement.

The SGPS 2020-21 executive is composed of Vice-President-elect (Community) Anthony Lomax, Vice-President-elect (Finance and Services) Tamara Mitterer, and Vice-President-elect (Professional) John Jeyaratnam.

In one of only two contested elections across the AMS and SGPS, Vice-President-elect (Graduate) Courtney Bannerman was elected over Rohit Shukla. Bannerman was voted in with a 57.8 per cent vote in her favour.

“I also want to extend my greatest appreciation to all members of the SGPS who took the time to vote for the new 2020 Executive council. I am humbled to have been given the opportunity to serve you in the coming year as your SGPS President and cannot wait to meet with our new team,” Aman said.

CESA

Team Bold, comprised of Presidential candidate Julia Bukala, Vice-President (Internal) candidate Max O’Connor Clarke, and Vice-President (External) candidate Nicole Li, finished an uncontested election with a vote of confidence.

“We thrilled with the results of the election and the team is excited to get to work. Thank you to all the Con-Ed students for giving us your support and for giving us the opportunity to be the CESA executive in the upcoming year,” Julia Bukala, CESA presedent-elect, wrote in a statement to The Journal.

“We have worked so hard and will continue to work hard in order to be strong representatives of our wonderful student body.”

With files from Sydney Ko, Ellen Nagy, Carolyn Svonkin, Pamoda Wijekoon, Claudia Rupnik, and Amelia Rankine.

Tags

#AMSvotes, 2020 student elections, student politics

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