UMSU’s board of directors approved a by-election through board appointment to fill two vacant executive positions at its Oct. 8 meeting.
The decision followed the failure of motions 0717 and 0718, which would have redistributed the responsibilities of the vacant positions among the remaining executives.
The governance committee was subsequently tasked “to develop a process, and procedure for conducting by-elections for the vice president external affairs (VPEA), and vice-president finance and operations (VPFO) vacancies.”
At the meeting, board members considered two proposed election procedures. One was motion 0720, which proposed a by-election through board appointment, and the other was motion 0721, which proposed a regular by-election where eligible student voters elect the replacements.
Motion 0720 was approved and 0721 failed.
Before the vote, the chair of the governance committee, outlined the considerations behind the proposed procedures.
“We looked at UMSU’s previous procedures, how other student unions in the country have handled similar situations, and what would realistically be manageable in the middle of the academic year,” the committee chair said.
The approved process will determine replacements for Cameron Provost, the former VPFO, and Aiden Peters, the former VPEA. Both executives resigned from their positions.
The motion stated that “the executive by-elections shall take place at the board meeting starting at 6 p.m. on October 22.”
Interested candidates must submit a minimum of 50 valid signatures in support of their nominations. Nominations open Oct. 13 at 8 a.m. and close Oct. 19 at 5 p.m.
If no eligible candidate comes forward for either vacancy by the nomination deadline, that position will remain vacant and return to the board for consideration of next steps.
According to the motions, the appointment by-election is expected to cost approximately $5,230, about $4,770 less than a by-election by student vote.
The approved process also shortens the election timeline. The regular by-election option would have stretched the election process to Nov. 2 and 3.
However, the appointment process limits voting rights to eligible board members, meaning students will not directly elect the replacements through a union-wide vote.
A question period will be open to board members and students-at-large, although priority will be given to questions from board members. This differs from a regular election forum, where students can question candidates as part of the election process.
The committee chair said the governance committee developed the options for the board to consider, and that the committee did not “formally endorse either option.”
The approved procedure applies only to the two vacant executive positions at this time and does not permanently amend UMSU’s governing documents.
Interested and eligible students can review the nomination requirements by visiting umsu.ca/by-election.
