After the first ever digital-only Bristol SU election season, the results have just been published by Bristol SU.

58,838 votes were cast in total, which is a new record for SU elections. 6,932 students voted, which represents a turnout of 23.5 per cent.

The officers elected this cycle will take up their roles in June for a whole year. Full-time officers receive a salary from the SU, and, as their title suggests, they are full-time employees of the union.

The exact breakdown of votes for the Full Time Officer roles will be published on Monday. The SU says that this is to allow the candidates time to process their results, and to ensure that there is minimal impact on their wellbeing.

Here is the full list of election results, and a little bit about them from our election week vibe check:

Full-time Officers 2021/22

Equality Liberation & Access Officer – Leah Martindale (she/her)

Leah spent the last year as Postgraduate Education officer, and decided to run again for election, but this time as ELA officer.

Leah describes herself as “outgoing, empathetic, and sleepy”. On June 21st, when the clubs re-open, she told The Bristol Tab that she will: “Go on my own to the cinema, buy a tub of popcorn the size of my body, stand up and clap at the end of the movie, and walk through town like I’m the main character of my own film.”

Her top three policy objectives are:

Speak For Ourselves – Get elected liberation group representatives into decision-making spaces.

No Space For Hate – Protect students from academic attacks on their identities and introduce a 0 tolerance approach to hate in all JCRs, Societies, and Clubs.

Attainment For All – Ensure the BAME Attainment Gap review is accurate and inclusive to the COVID experience.

Postgraduate Education Officer – Lu Macey (she/her)

Lu ran for election, having been Arts PGR Faculty Rep this academic year. She did her undergraduate degree at Winchester Uni.

She describes herself as “enthusiastic, curious, and determined”, and on June 21st she wants to go home and see her family for the first time in ages. “I’ve really missed my family, and they got a new cat early this year, so it’ll be really nice to see them then,” she told The Bristol Tab.

Her top three policy objectives are:

Wellbeing and Community – continue to redevelop Postgraduate level Personal Tutor and Supervisor roles.

Accessibility and Attainment – Improve transparency and guidance around fees and funding – tailored to reflect the needs of different students.

Equality and Equity in Learning and Teaching – Create a Jobs Board for Postgraduate teaching positions within each faculty.

Sport & Student Development Officer – Obafemi Alabi (he/him)

Obafemi ran in the joint most crowded field, competing against three other candidates.

He told The Bristol Tab that he is “intelligent, confident, and compassionate”, and on June 21st: “I would want to go out with friends and have a good time at Motion.”

His top three policy objectives are:

Communication – Holding bi-monthly feedback forums with club captains to better understand the needs of their societies.

Widening Participation – Encourage clubs and societies to have more events that accommodate all members, e.g. non-alcoholic socials.

Transport – Advocate for the provision of discount vouchers for sports club members for buses and taxis to reduce the financial strain on students.

Student Living Officer – Ruth Day (re-elected) (they/them)

Ruth Day has been re-elected to the role of Student Living Officer, having run unopposed this year. They were very high-profile this year, leading the Rent Strike and pushing the uni on the many issues surrounding accommodation this past year.

They say they are “gay, driven, and passionate”, saying that on June 21st they will: “host a big pres in my living room, play all the drinking games I haven’t played in first year and then go to OMG and stay until they turn the lights on.”

Their top three policy objectives are:

Supporting your mental health – Continue to improve Personal Tutoring by providing Tutors with comprehensive training.

Safe and secure student housing – Create an Ethical Lettings Charter and Student Tenants’ Union to identify and stand up against dodgy landlords.

A Sustainable University – Tackling the climate emergency and holding the university to their commitment to go carbon neutral by 2030.

Undergraduate Education Officer – Seb Key (he/him)

Seb is studying psychology, and describes himself as “Energetic, Responsive, and Unconventional”. One is priorities is the mental wellbeing of students.

On June 21st, he plans on “jumping into the sea and going to the pub!”

His top three policy objectives are:

Academic Welfare – Create greater transparency in the Extenuating Circumstances system with greater consideration of different issues people are facing.

Mental Health – Increase budget and availability, and decrease the waiting list of university counselling.

Curriculum – Extend decolonization beyond Arts and Humanities to other overlooked subjects, such as medicine.

Union Affairs Officer – Ifrah Farooq (she/her)

Fresh off a year as Chair of Student Council, self-proclaimed “Future Prime Minister” will be looking after societies and democracy over the next year.

On June 21st, she plans on “catching flights not feelings” – don’t we all want to see some sunshine?!

Farooq made waves in the election campaign, with her election cover of WAP reaching 100k views on Tik Tok.

Her top three policy objectives are:

Sustainability and Accessibility– Extend the U1 bus service to Temple Meads and Coombe Dingle.

Saving Money – Campaign for the reduction of student fees and rent for all students who continue to be affected by COVID-19.

Student Security – Review the importance and purpose of AMM.

International Students Officer – Muazam Tahir (he/him)

Muazam studies Economic and Politics, and describes himself as “Confident, Funny, and Diplomatic”.

He plans on going to “a night club” on June 21st – let’s hope it doesn’t end like his messiest night in Bristol did, where he “passed out in 3 different places (floor, kitchen, room)”!

His top three policy objectives are:

Acceptance and Representation of International Students – Fostering an environment where all students are respected equally.

Support to adjust with respect to different bacgrounds – (languages, curriculum, etc.) mastering a greater standard of diversity.

Resources Allocated to Wellbeing for International Students – mitigating the effects of culture shock and homesickness which can have long-lasting effects on integration.

Network Chairs & Student Trustees

BAME Network

Zara Shamayal

Black Students’ Network

Ijeoma Egbarin

Care Leavers and Estranged Students’ Network

Aura Townsend

Disabled Students’ Network

Helena Thornton

International Students’ Network

Siddharth Sreekanth (Sid)

LGBT+ Network

Joe Fearon

Mature Students, Parents and Carers Network

Jessica Gould

Multifaith Network

Sumaya Hussein

Societies Network

Kristen Pham

Sports Network

Tiegan Ball

Chair of Student Council

Chandler Jeon

Sustainability Network

Carlos Shanka Boissy Diaz

Trans Students’ Network

Marten Payne

Volunteering and Fundraising Network

Tala Youhana

Wellbeing Network

Ellie Spenceley

Widening Participation Network

Sai Ashraf

Women’s Network

Leen Ayesh

STUDENT TRUSTEES

Jack McAlinden

Xenia Levantis

Policy objectives courtesy of Bristol SU, available here

Candidate photographs courtesy of candidate election campaigns

Related stories recommended by this writer:

• We vibe checked this year’s Bristol SU Election candidates so you don’t have to

• Bristol Uni students REJECT private school admissions cap

• ATTENTION FRESHERS: This is a guide to all the classic Bristol clubs for June 21st