With the highest voter turnout in DCUSU history, the new DCU Students’ Union sabbatical team were announced in Nubar by Acting Returning Officer Andy Dunne, on March 23d.
Niall Behan was elected as DCUSU President 2017/18. A total of 4,996 valid votes were counted for the position of president. After four rounds of counts, Behan received a final 2201 votes.
Eimear Maguire came a close second with 1814 votes. James Rooney, Sarah Sweeney and Ricardo Valdes-Bango were knocked out before the final vote count.
Speaking to The College View just minutes after the results were announced, Behan said: “I genuinely thought I had lost there. Up until the time the voting closed, I really didn’t expect it to be that close. I either thought that one of the other candidates were going to be out in front. I genuinely, genuinely didn’t expect it to be that close.”
“What kept me motivated this was the fact that the other candidates had been running such sublime campaigns. I never expected to come into a race and honestly feel that the DCU Students’ Union was going to be in such a good place next year,” he said.
Meanwhile, the sole candidate for the position of Academic Affairs, Brendan Power secured the position. With 1956 total valid votes for this position, Power won 1658 of the votes.
Padraig Henry was elected as VP for Welfare & Equality 2017/18. Jason Bolton came in second place, while Olivia Nwachukwu and Maria Lawlor were knocked out in the first and second rounds.
Speaking to The College View, Henry said: “I’m so happy with such a tight race. It pushed both of us to the edge. I genuinely didn’t think I had it.
“At the start, I thought it was between just me and Jason but as the campaigns went on, I was absolutely sh*tting my boots because all four of us has something above the table.
“I feel so bad for the others because I know how I’d feel if it didn’t happen,” Henry said.
Siobhan McTague snatched up the position of VP for Engagement & Development for 2017/18.
“I ran a very good campaign but at the same time, you never think that you can do enough, you really, really don’t. I’m just so excited to be elected. I’m ready for the position and I can’t wait to do an amazing job next year,” McTague told The College View.
Finally, Mathew Davey was elected to the position of VP for Education & Placement for 2017/18. Davey was the sole candidate to run for this position.
Hayley Halpin
Image: Rebecca Lumley