Surprise candidates enliven Sabbatical race
The final week of nominations for the 1997 Sabbatical Elections has seen unprecedented activity amongst potential candidates jockeying for prominence. A number of submitted and then withdrawn candidatures have further confused the election race. Today, the deadline passes for members of Imperial College Union wishing to run for election to a sabbatical position to sign their names on the nomination papers. Last minute nominations are expected as several rumours of eleventh hour candidates, possibly including a medical student, abound.
At the time of going to press, six fully proposed and seconded candidates are standing for the four Sabbatical posts. Two candidates have stood for the posts of Deputy President (Finance and Services) and Deputy President (Clubs and Societies, whilst there remains a single candidate each for the posts of Felix Editor and President. New Election, the option for voters unconvinced that the candidates are suitable for the job, is also standing for every post.
This second week of nominations has seen some surprise candidates come forth and secure the full compliment of twenty seconders and a proposer. Samantha Baker, a third year chemist, is currently unopposed for the position of President after Johnathan Austin, a fourth year physicist, and Andrew Guilder, a third year mechanical engineering student withdrew their candidatures. In an unsual turn of events, Mr Guilder withdrew his candidature by scrawling "No thank you. Cheers for the support" across his paper early on Thursday morning despite his securing of seventeen seconders.
Elsewhere, fourth year civil engineering student Duncan Tindall is vying with chemical engineer John Savery, also in his fourth year, for the post of DP (F&S). Smita Chaturvedi, biochemistry II, and Sarah Thomas, chemical engineering IV, are competing for the post of DP(C&S). Jeremy Thomson, a third year physicist is sole candidate for the post of Felix Editor.
With nominations closing at 6 pm this evening, there is still opportunity for last minute candidates to come forward. Rumours persist that two ‘heavyweight’ candidates will sign up for the top post of President, with some suggestions of a stage-managed nomination just before the deadline.
