Senior sophister drama and theatre studies student Beth Strahan has been elected communications and marketing officer in the Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) sabbatical elections.
Strahan received 42.6% of first preference votes. She was elected on the third count after both re-open nominations (RON) and Sarah Murnane were eliminated.
Strahan received 903 votes on the first count. Her opponents, Connor Dempsey and Sarah Murnane, received 27% and 25.9% of first-preference votes respectively. The option to reopen nominations (RON) received 5.1%.
The quota was 1,057. RON votes were redistributed first leaving Strahan with 930, Dempsey with 596 and Murnane with 574.
Murnane’s votes were redistributed next with Strahan’s total rising to 1,227 and Dempsey’s to 739. Having passed the quota on the third count, Strahan was deemed elected.
Speaking to Trinity News, Strahan said: “I think it’s so refreshing to see that last year we saw Aiesha coming saying I’ve been disengaged and this is what I want to do.
“For another year, I can say I’m coming in and I’m new here is the experience I have, here is what I want to change here is what I want to continue on, and I’m so thankful.”
“Being super honest, this is so last minute to me – it only came down to when I started campaigning.
“I was like, “Oh my god, yes the SU is insular in a way but people care and people want to change” and I’m just so excited to be a representative of Trinity College Dublin.”
Strahan will succeed current comms officer Aiesha Wong prior to the start of the 2024/25 academic year.
Strahan’s campaign, much like that of her opponents, was founded on plans to improve student engagement within the union. Relying on her directorial and theatrical skills, she assured she will be able to “put bums in seats” and make the union an accessible place for all students.
