By Youssef Bashir

With the 2026 MDXSU Elections having drawn to a close, our newly elected officials no doubt have their focus set on the near future that contains their upcoming terms. Conversely, with voting week having just concluded, it seems that many students have their gazes set on the past, reflecting on the quality of the campaigns they just witnessed, brought to them by many different candidates. With the winners now clear and the results set in stone, it was time to find out why students voted how they did and what exactly struck them the most.

A very enthusiastic voter, Saad Hussain, was more than happy to share the policy that stood out to him the most across all candidates: “Bringing back the 24/7 Library. They initially had it, then they got rid of it.” When asked what he believes the importance of it being open around the clock is, he elaborated: “I think, it being there, as a reminder that it is open 24/7 is important. Even if I’m not using it 24/7 every day, I know that I can when I need it. Deadlines, right?” This particular policy proved to have been quite popular even among those who did not wish to be directly quoted, some citing that the bookable overnight room in the College Building that the university has offered as a substitute, in their opinions, just doesn’t fit the same purpose.

In the case of Abdullokh Abdukhalikov, his vote was earned based on the flexibility of the candidate: “Being really open to listening to ideas is key. Students want to have more events, for example, which is something that was voted on with the current S.U. officials. The candidates that shared they’d have that same openness to suggestions are the ones that stood out to me the most.” Abdullokh’s main concern was to vote-in someone who made it very clear that they were aware the position they were running for is one that is meant to serve the students of Middlesex.

Unfortunately, one would-be voter, Allinton Arivalagan, when interviewed, alleged he had encountered technical difficulties that made him miss the deadline entirely: “I had a problem with the website. It kept crashing, so I didn’t vote.” When asked on his opinion regarding this year’s campaigns, he added: “You know, compared to last year, these candidates gave notice [of their policies] and were talking a lot, coming over and talking kindly. It felt like actual politics.” To Allinton, feeling the candidates’ presence and being able to see them engage one-on-one with various students clearly left the biggest impact.

On the other hand, one voter, Rahul Choudhary, was quite pleased with how smoothly everything went in his own experience: “In terms of the campaigns, the facilities [provided] for the elections are quite good. Everything was well-maintained by the management. The rules were quite clear.” This reference to the rules and regulations in place to ensure a fair campaigning ground for all candidates is something he became familiar with while helping his friend, who was running, campaign.

Ultimately, while not everyone’s favourite candidate for each role may have won in these past elections, it may be helpful to remember that any of the promises they ran on that really resonated with you do not have to be completely forsaken. MDXSU’s stated aim is to represent the students’ best interests. So, if there is something specific that was suggested as part of a campaign that didn’t end up winning that you still hope to see implemented, remember that our elected officials also hope to implement as many things that improve university life for students as they can during their terms. As such, you can always make your voice and feedback heard to them, simply by reaching out.