On March 7, the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) delayed the closure of polls for the 2025 Winter Referendum and Executive Election for another week, as just 8.8 per cent of members voted, falling significantly short of the 15 per cent quorum. Polls were initially slated to close on March 7 at 5:30 p.m. but will now close on March 14 at the same time.
In a written statement to The Tribune, SSMU President Dymetri Taylor expressed disappointment that quorum was not met, but noted that the voting period’s overlap with Winter Reading Break from March 3 to 7 could have been a cause for the low voter turnout.
“We were able to get 8.6 per cent in the first week, so had it been back-to-back weeks of school, we most certainly would have gotten to 15 per cent,” Taylor wrote. “This hasn’t been an issue in previous years; however, outreach and promotion could also be improved.”
Taylor then explained that one possible solution could be to establish a recurring, consistent voting period for the election and referendum that avoids overlap with reading week.
“That would mean we likely have to opt for a nomination period in late January and a voting period in the last two weeks of February,” Taylor wrote. “Overall, [the failed quorum] gives much to think about for improvements, for both the setting of periods and for the way elections are advertised.”
Among such services included in the referendum are questions on renewing the SSMU Menstrual Health Project Fee, which distributes free menstrual products on campus, and the Indigenous Equity Fee, which funds the work of the Indigenous Affairs Committee.
Along with executive elections and service fee questions, three changes to the SSMU constitution were included on the ballot. One constitutional amendment stands to make the Vice-President (VP) Finance hired by the SSMU Board of Directors, rather than elected by students. The second constitutional amendment seeks to eliminate the position of VP Sustainability and Operations, reallocating the responsibilities of this role to other executives. The third change would remove Section 1.3 of the constitution, which SSMU argues will better protect the student union from litigation.
Susan Aloudat, the sole candidate for VP University Affairs, believes that students may have “checked out” from following university issues when reading week began. However, Aloudat emphasized the importance of the referendum and election in SSMU’s operations.
“I hope we meet quorum because operations for vital services and initiatives that every student rely on to some extent are counting on it,” Aloudat wrote to The Tribune.
A previous version of the article stated that the VP Finance would be appointed, rather than hired, by the SSMU Board of Directors. The Tribune regrets the error.
