“You could have yourselves a revolution”, the only presidential candidate in the upcoming CUSU elections told a room full of other candidates yesterday evening.

Speaking at CUSU’s main election hustings, Helen Hoodgewerf-McComb said, “If enough of you want it, you could get the whole [election] run again, stand for office and have yourselves a revolution”. She addressed the room and peak online audience of five viewers on a YouTube livestream.

Hoodgewerf-McComb went on to claim that “CUSU is one of the most adaptive and responsive institutions you could imagine…I would ask people what institution could do it better.”

One King’s fresher who rewatched the hustings said that that they were “just like the mayoral election debate on Family Guy, but with no-one there.” Five candidates did not attend. 

Natalia Kudryashova, a candidate for University Council Representative said, “It’s very sad for me standing in front of a room just full of candidates”.

In a “personal” plea sent to potential voters last night, current CUSU president Flick Osborn urged students to vote, stating: “If you don’t like something about CUSU, or you think it is rubbish and irrelevant, you have the power to change it.”

The extent of disenchantment and apathy towards CUSU was revealed in a recent Varsity poll, suggesting that one in five will not vote, and only one in ten were aware how CUSU has affected them this year.

Two members of the Marxist Discussion Group are running for NUS delegate, for which there are five positions and only four candidates. In an interview with Varsity, Marxist candidate Mordecai Paechter claimed he represents “what the majority of students want”. 

Fellow Marxist and NUS delegate candidate Kevin Chang recognised that being a Marxist did not help his campaign: “I do think it will put people off. It’s got a bad rep.” However, Chang is “not particularly fussed” about winning. He said it is “not the primary goal. The aim is to get ideas across.” With four candidates for five positions, however, it is likely that both Paechter and Chang will win their positions. 

This comes amid growing support for the unofficial RON (Re-open Nominations) campaign. Two Facebook groups have been founded, and The Tab has thrown its support behind RON. An anonymous person distributed ‘RON for CUSU Prez’ posters at the Notes publication exhibition in the English Faculty and other locations on Friday evening.

Some candidates were genuinely passionate, however. Amelia Horgan, candidate for Women’s Officer, said she was “angered” by the University: “It still feels like an old men’s club.” She said that “the university has not done enough to change. It cannot be described as a woman-friendly institution.” She pointed to weak and sporadic sexual harassment policies, and wants to “strengthen women’s representation within colleges.”

One candidate for Access Officer – the only contested sabbatical position – claimed that she was “really ridiculously passionate about it [fair access]… I’m really ridiculously excited and I can't say how passionate I am about it enough. It’s ridiculously important that everyone has a fair chance and can come in.” The other candidate, Terri Leigh-Riley, was more measured, stating: “it’s so important to hit the groups who aren’t even considering it [applying for Cambridge] in the first place.”

Hoodgewerf-McComb warns that “If you don’t vote, then CUSU will listen to other people: it’s that simple. You won’t have a voice.” However, she recognises that CUSU “could do more” to communicate with students.

She stated that “CUSU could be in trouble.”

Online voting opens at midnight on Monday 3 March and closes at 7pm on Tuesday 4 March.  Paper voting is from 8am to 7pm on Wednesday 5 March in colleges. Results will be announced at 8pm on Wednesday 5 at the Graduate Union. You can vote here.