As voting closed Wednesday, an 18.2 per cent turnout rate elected next year’s student leaders.

AMS

Voters elected Team RTZ, composed of President-Elect Zaid Kasim, Sci ’21, Vice-President (Operations)-elect Tiana Wong, ArtSci ’21 and Vice-President (University Affairs)-elect Ryan Sieg, Kin ’21, for 2021-22 AMS executive. 

“Tonight is a victory for RTZ, but more importantly is a victory for students, for Queen’s, and for the AMS,” Kasim told The Journal following the election results. “We have worked tirelessly for months to work on a platform we really truly believe is going to be groundbreaking for the AMS and really create some positive change.”

“We put in as much effort as we possibly could in our campaign,” Wong said. “The campaign process was really fun and the past few days have been a whirlwind of emotions.”

Team RTZ secured 66.2 per cent of the vote, for a total of 1,979 votes. Team TIA secured 29.7 per cent of the vote with 887 votes. Voter turnout was 18.2 per cent, a 10 per cent decrease from the 2020 election.

“Thank you to Team TIA for pushing us and making us work even harder on our campaign,” Sieg said. 

All three candidates said they are “excited to get to work.” 

Team TIA consisted of Presidential candidate Isaac Sahota, ArtSci ’22, Vice-Presidential (Operations) candidate Tabassum Pasha, Comm ’21, and Vice-Presidential (University Affairs) candidate Amelia Cockerham, ArtSci ’22. 

Team TIA declined The Journal’s request for comment.  

Undergraduate Trustee

Jaya Sharma, BHSc ’24, has been elected to the position of Undergraduate Trustee with 71 per cent of the vote. Sharma will assume the role for the 2021-23 term. 

“I was really surprised when I found out because I know things can also go both ways no matter how prepared you feel you are, so I was really happy,” Sharma told The Journal. “I’m really glad people were able to see I really do want to make a difference [and] make the most positive change I can.” 

“I’m just really happy Queen’s students voted, and they chose me—and now I am excited to get started on the goals that I laid out, just staying committed to what I outlined, and showing students that their Trustee is looking out for them.”

Opposing candidate Seyon Shelvachandren, Nurs ’24, didn’t respond to The Journal’s request for comment. 

ComSoc 

ComSoc voters have elected Team BPN, comprised of President-elect Omar Baboolal, Vice-President (Operations)-elect Tara Matin-Nejad, and Vice-President (Student affairs)-elect Finn Price, all Comm ’22, as their 2021-22 representatives.

They won 58 per cent of the vote.

“We are going to do such a great job—we are going to make such meaningful change,” Baboolal told The Journal.

Team BPN had many similar goals as the opposing team, Team AGB, and said they hope to implement some of those ideas into their work next year.

“Ultimately, we’re all working toward the same goal, we all want to make change,” Matin-Nejad said.

Team AGB consisted of Presidential candidate Angie Tang, Comm ’22, Vice-Presidential candidate (Student Affairs) Bobby Liang, Comm ’22, and Vice-Presidential candidate (Operations), Grace Rao, Comm ’22.

They told The Journal they’re “confident in the future of Commerce.” 

“We’re super excited to see everything they do and we’re very excited for them,” Tang said. 

ASUS

Team Alyth and Brandon secured a 92 per cent vote of confidence in the uncontested ASUS election.

Alyth Roos, ArtSci ’22, will assume the role of President, and Brandon Aldworth, ArtSci ’23, will join her as the 2021-22 Vice-President.

Roos told The Journal they are “beyond excited” about receiving a vote of confidence.

“Thank you to everyone who believed in us, shared their knowledge with us, promoted us and took the time to engage with us this year,” Roos said. 

“Both of us have such a strong love for ASUS for the community and home it has given us, and we are thrilled by the opportunity to share this feeling with all of you. We are going to continue giving ourselves to this role, leading with passion, accountability and collaboration to make Arts and Science students proud.” 

– with files from Julia Harmsworth, Cassidy McMackon, Simone Manning, Julia Stratton, and Sydney Ko