Gag removed

So, the lack of posting in the last few weeks (although admittedly not quite for all the time I actually haven't posted for) is the fact that my life has been largely dominated with election campaigns, for which online campaigning was banned (in any form, apart from approved emails to public lists), and I felt it almost impossible to blog my views about anything without wanting to post something about elections. On top of that, election fever did set in, leaving me little time to blog... I did actually need to do some work. This gag even managed to extend this week (although with fair reason) to being told not to shout and chant on the union steps (which could be heard for quite a distance, being heard inside and upstairs the union building, as well as down Oxford Road). However, for the physical safety of friends (and people in general), this was a valid gag, unlike the internet ban (tensions were likely to rise, and not necessarily in the most friendly of manners).

So the elections: there were two, NUS delegate elections and UMSU council and executive elections. I ran to be a delegate for Manchester, and to be maths rep on council (a re-election campaign)... and successfully won both campaigns. :D

We're still waiting upon some positions on council, which will actually determine which slate has the slight majority in overall council/executive composition, however it was a well fought campaign by most candidates (although some people managed to get an astounding number of votes, without producing a single poster or advertising themselves once) and I think an almost fair representation and balance on council of the student body. I think that there was a large number of students who turned up and bothered to read manifestos, voting for who they thought was the best candidate, rather than just writing a number 1 next to each name in a flyer pack. I think evidence of this is in Tom Miller managing to receive over 500 votes for Academic Affairs officer based on his manifesto alone, without posters (apart from a few several weeks ago). This must mean that at least 1000 people or so were actually reading manifestos: about 40% of the voter turnout. Sadly though, and probably for reasons like the internet ban, voter turnout was lower than last year by several hundred people at least.