Channing Kehoe is set to become the next communications & marketing officer of TCDSU, garnering 87.8% of the votes in the only uncontested race this year. As is typical of an uncontested election, the percentage of votes to re-open nominations is slightly higher at 12.2%.
Kehoe has assembled a strong backing across a wide range of demographics, with 91.7% of senior sophister and 90.7% of female voters backing her candidacy. The largest cohort of voters who are opting to re-open nominations are males, but even if 17.3% of this group ultimately vote as such, Kehoes path to victory will still be a very straightforward one.
Despite unusually high interest last year, the comms race this year has returned to the usual unremarkable affair it had been for the previous three consecutively, with a straightforward uncontested race.
Kehoe nonetheless made a strong impression throughout campaigning, attending hustings and making sure to be as visible as other candidates.
At postgraduate and equality hustings, Kehoe maintained a confident and straightforward approach as she fielded questions regarding postgraduates and the Irish language.
Kehoe vowed to diversify the students’ unions communications, saying that postgraduate students can be “disenfranchised by not having social media posts on multiple platforms”. They promised also to include the Irish language through the role “in creative ways, not just to tick a box”.
At media hustings, they emphasised their extensive experience managing social media accounts, acknowledging the challenges that come with handling a platform as large as the union’s.
“I have a lot of experience organising social media accounts, you have to be on top of your game running an account as big as the unions. It is a balancing act but I think I’m equipped to get information circulated,” she said.
When questioned about low election turnout and its impact on the union’s legitimacy, Kehoe asserted that her role would be to actively promote engagement and ensure that students are aware of the union’s work.
She further clarified that while turnout is important, the union’s legitimacy is ultimately built through its actions and advocacy. “The union has legitimacy, it does great work. I want to make students aware of what the union does for them.”
Coming, like incumbent Communications Officer Beth Strahan, from a primarily theatre-informed background, Kehoe campaigned heavily on their theatre skills and directorial approach, and noted that they would like to bring a similar perspective to the role as Strahan has. As the public relations officer of Trinity Musical Theatre, they have experience in “graphic design, and managing a social media presence, managing a schedule and staying organised”.
