Sole candidate loses U of G student president election in narrow vote

The University of Guelph’s Central Student Association will go the next few months without a president.

Jay Rojas, the only candidate running for the position, did not receive the 50 per cent of votes required for a victory in this week’s election.

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A total of 2,065 students voted against installing Rojas as president, while 1,962 students voted in favour. Another 423 students declined to vote either way.

Debate around the vote had been unusually vocal for a student election, with Rojas’ candidacy being the subject of hundreds of comments in Facebook groups and other social media conversations.

At issue was his criminal history, which included one conviction for theft in Peterborough and 38 other convictions in Waterloo Region. Many of his victims were students living in Wilfrid Laurier University residences, where Rojas worked as a residence don.

In an interview with CTV News, Rojas said that he had become addicted to stealing, and struggled with that and other mental health issues after being released from prison before counsellors and hard work helped him get his life back on track.

Rojas had previously been elected to the CSA executive as its local affairs commissioner.

Officials with the CSA, which represents all undergraduate students at the school, say the position will stay vacant until the fall semester, when a byelection will be held.

Any student in good standing with the CSA is eligible to run in the byelection.