Prominent pro-life activist Katie Ascough has taken an strong early lead in the Student Union Presidential election race, with half of all votes having been counted.
As of 2pm, Ascough was in the lead with more than 30% of first preferences, having topped the poll in every building so far. Ascough has 714 votes out of the 2,011 counted so far.
Philip Weldon, LGBTQ+ society auditor, is coming second currently on 462 votes. Rebecca Hart is in third place with 452, and Ronan Bartley is polling last at 333 votes.
After the first batch of counted votes were announced Ascough led wih 289 votes out of the 840 announced. Weldon followed with 207, with Rebecca Hart taking 183 votes, and Ronan Bartley coming last with just 140 first preferences. That first series of results came from polling boxes in Sutherland Law school, Richview, Veterinary Sciences, and Blackrock.
Quinn school of Business, Engineering and Health Sciences results followed and pushed Ascough further into the initial lead. The votes yet to be counted are from the Newman Arts building, the largest poll. And Agricultural Science, another large faculty.
Ascough, a third year Science, student topped the poll in her own building with 194 votes, ahead of Weldon who got 162 votes from Science.
In the other races, Robert Sweeney is comfortably leading the Education race, with 1,260 votes to Joshua Climax Gorman’s 582 first preferences so far.
Barry Murphy is in a strong position ahead of the other three candidates in the Campaigns & Communications race. The Yes side in the referendum on supporting Irish reunification is leading currently with 1,201 votes in favour. 754 students voted against the Students’ Union supporting Irish unity.
You can follow the latest results as they are announced on the College Tribune’s twitter @CollegeTribune.
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Jack Power | Editor
