Molly Mantle of the REACH slate has been elected President of the Oxford Union for Hilary 2022, winning 402 first preferences and 53.4% of the vote. Mantle was Librarian of the Oxford Union in Trinity 2021. Over 30 people attended the in-person announcement of Oxford Union results, with tense excitement filling the courtyard as candidates, members, and committee waited for results. Voter turnout for the otherwise online election was 819 votes cast.
The results for the other three major positions are as follows:
Librarian: Rachel Ojo, with 350 first preferences
Treasurer: Ahmad Nawaz, with 350 first preferences
Secretary: Ananya Chowdhury, with 402 first preferences
This marks a victory for the REACH slate. Slate pledges included creating an independent sexual assault reporting system, and to reduce membership fees. They also pledged to introduce cheaper ball tickets for non-drinkers.
OPEN, the main opposing slate, pledged the creation of an ‘online members area’, whereby alumni and current students could watch events and interviews that would not be shared on Youtube, alongside launching a multi-term ‘decolonise the Union’ project.
Those elected to Standing’s Committee are: Naman Gupta (REACH), Theo Sergiou (REACH), Ambika Seghal (OPEN), Manuel Fieber (REACH), Charlie Mackintosh (OPEN).
Those elected to Secretary’s Committee are: Matt Jarvis (OPEN), Alex Fish (REACH), Matt Barrett (REACH), Ahmed Abdul-Majeed (REACH), Jacobus Petersen (OPEN), Lucy Banks (OPEN), James Bromfield (OPEN), Joshua Chima (OPEN), Maddy Colbourn (REACH), Chi Okafor (OPEN), Jen Jackson (OPEN).
Image Credit: REACH
