By Olivia Griffin
The results of the 2026 Cardiff Students’ Union Leadership Elections were announced this week, concluding several weeks of campaigning and voting across the student body.
Thousands of students took part in the annual election, which determines the sabbatical officers, campaign officers, and Students’ Union President who will represent Cardiff University students in the coming academic year.
According to the Students’ Union Chief Executive, Daniel Palmer, a total of 9,159 students cast a vote, representing a 27.7% turnout — roughly one in four students. Palmer told those gathered for the announcement that this figure represents the highest turnout in Wales, and potentially one of the highest in the UK, although many universities are still in the middle of their election periods.
Before the results were revealed, Palmer addressed the room of candidates and campaign teams, acknowledging the emotional stakes of the election process.
“There are more of you in the room who have lost than have won,” he said, prompting laughter from the audience. He added that election results “tell you nothing about who you are”, and reminded candidates that welfare support was available at the back of the room should anyone need it following the outcome.
The election count was overseen by Returning Officer Steve Ralph, currently Chief Executive of Trinity Saint David Students’ Union and a former Head of Student Voice at Cardiff Students’ Union.
Alongside the leadership elections, students also voted in a referendum on affiliation with the National Union of Students (NUS). A total of 7,191 students participated, representing a 22% turnout. Of these voters, 76.1% voted in favour of remaining affiliated with the NUS, equating to 4,532 YES votes. This was compared with 1,364 NO votes and 1,295 abstentions. When the result was announced in the hall, it was met with a noticeably muted response from the audience.
Students’ Union President
One of the most closely watched contests of the election was the race for Students’ Union President, which featured five candidates. After multiple rounds of counting under the single transferable vote system, Joshua Tandy, the current Vice President for Heath Park, was elected.
Tandy secured 3,463 votes, emerging as the final winner after several candidates were eliminated and their votes redistributed.
The contest saw Alex Portman Ross reach the final round of counting with 2,648 votes, but they were ultimately eliminated in the fifth round. The current Students’ Union President, Maria Pollard, who was running for re-election, was eliminated in the fourth round with 1,682 votes.
Earlier eliminations included Alice Nicholson, who received 711 votes and was eliminated in round three, and Callum Thompson, who received 249 votes before being eliminated in round two.
In total, 8,282 votes were cast in the presidential race.
Sabbatical Officers
Six sabbatical officer positions were also decided in the election. These full-time roles are typically taken up by recent graduates or students who take a year out of study in order to represent Cardiff University students and work within the Students’ Union leadership team.
Several positions were contested by multiple candidates and required several rounds of counting before a winner emerged.
Owain Siôn was elected Vice President Cymraeg, receiving 7,028 votes as the only candidate standing for the role.
The race for Vice President International Students was one of the most competitive contests in the election, with nine candidates standing. After eight rounds of vote redistribution, Lakshmi Ksheeraja Sikha secured the position with 1,935 votes.
Similarly, the election for Vice President Postgraduate Students required eight rounds of counting, ultimately resulting in the re-election of Sean Strong, who won the role with 2,091 votes and will serve a second term in the position.
The Vice President Societies and Communities position was also closely contested. After nine rounds of counting, Manala Aggour was elected with 2,328 votes.
For Vice President Sports and Athletic Union President, Margherita Puccinelli secured the role in round four, receiving 3,054 votes in a contest with four candidates.
Meanwhile, Liz McLaughlin was elected Vice President Undergraduate Students with 4,566 votes in a race between two candidates.
Campaign Officers
Alongside sabbatical officers, students also elected several campaign officers. These part-time representative roles focus on advocating for specific communities and issues within the student body.
A number of campaign officer positions were uncontested. Hafwen Davies was elected Accessibility Officer with 6,491 votes, while Lucy Blyth was elected Estranged Students Officer with 6,330 votes. Tristan Cairns also ran unopposed to become Ethical and Environmental Officer, receiving 5,434 votes.
More competitive races took place in other campaign officer elections. Hannah Goto was elected Anti-Racism Officer, securing 2,480 votes in a contest featuring five candidates.
The role of Mental Health Officer saw six candidates competing, with Kayla Forde ultimately elected with 3,876 votes.
The Women’s Officer election required three rounds of counting before Nia Montrose secured the majority required to win the position.
Two Heath Park Students’ Officer positions were available, with Wanqing He and Dhanashree Uttam Khot elected after four rounds of counting in a field of four candidates.
Two LGBTQ+ Officer positions were also elected. In line with the role’s rules, one position was reserved for a trans student. Elle King and Poppy May Davies were elected to the roles after votes were counted and redistributed.
The newly elected officers will take up their roles in July 2026, forming the Students’ Union’s leadership team for the 2026–27 academic year and representing Cardiff students on issues ranging from welfare and representation to university policy and campus life.