Election turnout up slightly

The electronic ‘ballot boxes’ used for the 2015 university elections closed last week. The good news is that turnout is higher than last year at 13.5 percent compared to 12.1 percent in 2014.

During the elections students and staff had the opportunity to elect candidates for the Faculty Councils and the University Council. Traditionally turnout is highest amongst staff. This year staff could only vote at the philosophy department and ESHCC, both of which have recently undergone the upheaval of a reorganisation. Almost 50 percent of staff completed a voting form there.

Student turnout lower

Student turnout was significantly lower. Only 505 voted at RSM, which numbers almost 7,000 students with voting rights. ESE just managed first place with 1,062 of the 6,442 students, a turnout of 16.5 percent, voting for the Council. But the turnout at nearly all the faculties was up on last year with the exception of Erasmus School of Law where turnout fell by about 3 percent.

Turnout at Erasmus University is not good compared to other universities. In Utrecht for example 18.7 percent of students voted. And in Tilburg for the first time more than half voted for the student Council candidates: 50.1 percent. ES