New Young Greens executive elected
Members of the Young Greens – the Green Party of England and Wales’ official youth and student wing – have been voting to elect a new executive over the last two weeks. Now, at the conclusion of the Young Greens annual Convention this weekend, the results of that election have been announced.
New co-chairs
Jane Baston and Kelsey Trevett were elected as the new co-chairs of the Young Greens. The co-chairs are responsible for chairing meetings of the executive committee, serve on the executive of the Green Party itself, and are widely seen as the primary public face of the organisation.
Baston and Trevett have both served on the executive over the last year. Baston has been the Green Students co-convener, leading on the Young Greens’ work with university societies and with events and campaigns in higher education. Meanwhile, Trevett has been the equality and diversity officer and stood in the 2021 local elections in Oxford.
Baston received 57 first preference votes and Trevett 52. They were consequently both elected in the first round of counting, seeing off competition from Henry Gemmell and Alperen Acik who received 10 and 14 first preferences respectively.
Speaking on her election, Baston told Bright Green:
I’m really proud to be leading the Young Greens in the next year. We’ve had so much development this year and I’m really excited to move the work forward to keep building the radical work that the Young Greens have been doing over the last year. I can’t wait to get stuck in with the new Executive Committee!
This was echoed by Trevett. He told Bright Green:
I’m super excited to have been elected co-chair, alongside such a wonderful committee. With this team of activists elected, and with a bigger young Greens executive committee then in years gone by, the future of our movement is brighter, more radical, and more energised than ever. I can’t wait to get going!
Other executive positions
A total of 15 other people were elected to positions on the executive as part of these elections. The results of these contests were as follows:
- Johann Beckford was elected as activist training & political education officer unopposed, receiving 92 first preference votes. Eight first preference votes were cast for re-open nominations.
- Zac Larkham was elected as campaigns officer, receiving 57 first preference votes. Larkham saw off competition from Henry Leutner and Joshua Farrell who received 11 and 25 first preference votes respectively. Three first preference votes were cast for re-open nominations.
- Isobel B-W was elected unopposed as digital communications officer, receiving 99 first preference votes. Eight first preference votes were cast for re-open nominations.
- Megan Poppy-Lloyd was elected as equality and diversity officer, beating Keiran Dams. Poppy-Lloyd received 70 first preference votes to Dams’ 38. Re-open nominations received five first preference votes.
- Daron Coaker was elected as elections officer, narrowly defeating Frank Adlington-Stringer. Coaker received 58 first preference votes to Adlington-Stringer’s 43. Three first preference votes were cast for re-open nominations.
- The job share ticket of Kate Benson and Lottie Donovan received 102 first preferences votes and were elected unopposed. Re-open nominations received four votes.
- The incumbent international officer Sarah Sharp was re-elected to the committee, picking up 75 first preference votes. She saw of competition from Hope Carpenter, who received 27 first preference votes. Two people gave re-open nominations their first preference.
- Orla MacMahon was elected as the Young Greens press officer, receiving 96 first preference votes. She was elected unopposed, with re-open nominations receiving seven first preference votes.
- Rowan Munson was elected as the Young Greens treasurer. Munson was elected unopposed on 54 first preference votes, with re-open nominations receiving four first preference votes.
- Neve Fields was elected as the first Young Greens disability liberation officer, picking up 78 first preference votes to re-open nominations’ four.
- Lollie Melton was elected unopposed at the first LGBTIQA+ liberation officer. Melton was elected unopposed and picked up 82 first preference votes. Re-open nominations received thirteen first preference votes.
- Kane Elwell was elected as the first trans liberation officer, receiving 78 first preference votes to re-open nominations’ seven.
- Kirsty McMillan narrowly defeated Dylan Lewis-Creser to become the first Young Greens under-18s officer. McMillan took 47 first preference votes to Lewis-Creser’s 30.
- Victoria Mery and Sophie Shanahan were elected as co-conveners of the Green Students Committee. Mery received 39 first preference votes, Shanahan 60. Re-open nominations received four first preference votes. The Green Students Committee co-conveners also sit on the Young Greens Executive.
Democracy and accountability committee
Alongside the executive, the annual ballot of Young Greens members also saw a new democracy and accountability committee elected. There were five candidates for five available positions.
Isaac Searle, Josha Morris-Blake and Ashley Routh were all elected in the first round of counting, having received 40, 26 and 22 first preference votes respectively. In the second round of counting, Billy Wassell was elected following re-allocation of the surpluses from the already elected candidates. Following the transfer of Wassell’s surpluses, Dan Taylor was also elected. Re-open nominations received two first preference votes, rising to 2.8 votes in the final round of counting once surplus votes had been transferred.
Departing co-chairs
The election of new Young Greens committees will see a number of prominent Green Party figures leave their roles.
Rosie Rawle, who has served three terms as co-chair was not eligible for another term due to the rules governing term limits. However, she said that it was an “honour and a privilege” to have served in the role, and that she was “excited” by the election of the new committee. She told Bright Green:
It’s been an honour and a privilege to serve for three terms as co-chair of the Young Greens, and I’m immensely proud of the work that we have done over this time, from transforming our approach to organising, delivering political education, and getting Greens elected.
Over the course of my time in office, we’ve seen the number of our Young Greens councillors increase from 2 to 17 – a fantastic achievement and huge testament to the brilliant work of our previous committees and all Young Greens activists that have been involved along the way.
I’m incredibly pleased to be handing over to such capable new co-chairs in Kelsey Trevett and Jane Baston, and super excited to see where they will take the organisation in the future. I’m sure they will continue to ensure the Young Greens to be the radical campaigning space that it ought to be within the party.
Her fellow co-chair, Lily Fitzgibbon did not seek re-election. Fitzgibbon served one term as co-chair and has since been elected as a Councillor in Bristol. She said that she had “loved” her term as Young Greens co-chair, telling Bright Green:
I have loved my time with the Young Greens. To see so many people willing to stand up for what they believe in, the Young Greens really are my favourite part of the Party. I am keen to continue to work with our new Co-chairs and EC despite stepping back, I’m sure that they will do amazing and radical things!
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