On Feb. 1 and 2, Queen’s students cast their electronic ballots for the AMS winter referendum. 

 

2,273 students voted out of 19,801 electors eligible, resulting in a voter turnout rate of 11.5 per cent, two per cent higher than the fall referendum. 

 

According to AMS Chief Electoral Officer Erica Johnson, in cases where less than 20 per cent of the electorate have cast ballots, approval of each individual fee is subject to a sliding scale based on the total voter turnout. With a 11.5 per cent turnout rate, a fee or question needed 60 per cent support to pass in this referendum. 

 

The Winter referendum saw the passing and continuation of numerous student fees—including the Camp Outlook’s fee of $1.00, OPRIG Kingston fee of $3.00, QMIND fee of $0.50, Queen’s Healthcare and Business Conference fee of $0.50, World University Services of Canada (WUSC) fee of $1.95, Telephone Aid Line Kingston’s fee of $0.75, MUSE Magazine’s fee of $0.50, and the Queen’s Backing Action on the Climate Crisis’ fee of $0.75. 

 

The referendum also saw the establishment of fees for Queen’s Space Engineering Team, Queen’s Entrepreneurs’ Competition (QEC), Kingston Gets Active Ambassadors Club, and Queen’s Rocket Engineering Team. 

 

Additionally, the three fees introduced by the Social Issues Commission—Mutual Aid Alliance Fund, AMS Equity Grants, and Gender Affirming Assistance Project—all passed. 

 

Voters passed the continuation of the Queen’s Legal Aid mandatory fee of $5.50 and Bus-it Pass mandatory fee of $122.