Following the chief returning officer’s (CRO) report on the election to the University of Manitoba Students’ Union (UMSU) board of directors, the board voted to ratify the election results.

In a board meeting last Thursday, March 30, CRO Erin Robert presented her report on the 2023 UMSU election, including an analysis of the budget made available for the election.

She pointed out that many candidates felt the $400 offered to them by the budget was not adequate to address their campaign costs.

Robert noted that the abolition of slates led to an increase in candidates for this year’s UMSU general election, which featured 24 candidates. She also pointed to an increase in interest in the election since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

She noted the heavy workload and overtime hours required for the CRO and recommended for next election that UMSU hire one sooner in the year to help compensate for this, as well as recommended an overhaul of the CRO position and the salary offered.

Robert recommended the governance committee “continue to restructure the election,” with suggestions such as ranked ballots. She also recommended more oversight of the judicial board as she argued “this board has quite a bit of power in the election process,” and suggested an update of the complaints process.