With LeadMCR 2026 over, weeks of campaigning and days of voting have led to a new team of eight Executive Officer elected to represent students in the University of Manchester’s Students’ Union.
This article will give you a brief overview of the results, and a quick look at the new team of officers as well as their promises and priorities.
The results in brief:
Turnout:
10,904 voters
Union Affairs Officer:
Winner: Anna Ward (3,739)
Runner-up: Frances Connolly (3,005)
City and Community Officer:
Winner: Hasan Patel (3,839)
Runner-up: Nagad Kayad (3,172)
Wellbeing and Liberation Officer:
Winner: Grace Hollingsworth (2,719)
Runner-up: Maha Shaikh (2,679)
Activities and Culture Officer:
Winner: Aaina Mohapatra (3,413)
Runner-up: Ananya Joyji Alummottil (2,781)
Postgraduate Research Officer:
Winner: Beck Heslop (350)
Runner-up: Luman Zhou (297)
Faculty of Humanities Officer:
Winner: Alec Severs (3,998)
Runner-up: Pulkit Gupta (2,081)
Faculty of Science and Engineering Officer:
Winner: Jack Newton (2,605)
Runner-up: Mochi Choi (2,347)
Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health:
Winner: Ann Lee (5,405)
Runner-up: RoN (717)
Turnout:
This year, 10,904 voters participated to pick the new team of Executive Officers. This was an increase on last year, rising by 876 from the 2025 LeadMCR campaign.
This uptick in turnout may suggest renewed interest in student politics and the role that the Students’ Union plays in student life.
It is also important to note that turnout differed dependent on role; 7634 votes were cast for the Union Affairs role, contrasting sharply with the number of votes cast for the Postgraduate Research Officer (809). However, it should be noted that the PGR Officer is voted for solely by postgraduate students.
The lowest role turnout for which all students could cast a ballot was Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health Officer (6,112). However, this race included only candidate, and was followed by Faculty of Science and Engineering Officer (6,365).
For a more detailed breakdown of the results, check out the Students’ Union website.
How does LeadMCR’s voting work?
LeadMCR voting operates under a ranked-choice voting system, with voters ranking candidates based on their preference.
Votes are then tallied, and unless an absolute majority is reached by one candidate or another, the choice with the lowest votes will be “eliminated”. Their voters then pass on to the candidates they ranked second.
This continues through multiple rounds of voting, until an absolute majority is achieved, and a candidate is selected.
It should be noted that this system can have a major impact on outcomes. In the case of the election for Wellbeing and Liberation Officer this year, the winning candidate (Grace Hollingsworth) did not receive the most votes in the first round of voting, and it was only when other candidates were “eliminated” did she take the lead.
Were there any other awards given out on the night?
Alongside the main elections to the eight Executive Officer roles, there were a number of “alternative awards” given out on the night, celebrating candidates for the approach to campaigning. The awards, and the winners were:
Most supportive campaign team: Hasan Patel’s team
Best LeadMCR meme: Bohdan Ferbuko
Best moment of the week: Kai Prince
Best design work: Meadow Ronan
Best banner: Aaina Mohapatra
Best slogan: Alec Severs (runner-up: Frances Connolly)
Most supportive candidate: Sayana Backer
Candidate’s candidate: Anna Ward
Who are the new Executive Officer team?
Anna Ward – Union Affairs:
Your next Union Affairs Officer is Anna Ward, Secretary of Resist Rape Culture and the Student Renters Union, as well as a long-time pro-Palestine organiser.
Their campaign focused on issues of affordability, in particular calling for further access to rent bursaries, as well as greater support over outside of term time, including access to summer lets in university halls.
Moreover, she emphasises the importance of solidarity, seeking to continue lobbying the university to cut ties with Tel Aviv University, as well as hoping to create funds and scholarships for Palestinian students.
Ward dominated The Mancunion‘s society endorsement tracker for Union Affairs, receiving 14 endorsements, more than treble the combined total of the other candidates running for the same role.
Hasan Patel – City and Community:
The role of City and Community Officer went to Hasan Patel, beating second-place Nagad Kayad by under 700 votes.
He is perhaps best known for his involvement with the rent strike movement, posting content related to his experiences throughout the campaign.
Patel’s campaign was firmly rooted in the issue of affordability, in particular pointing to the rent increase in the Fallowfield redevelopment. He has called for a subsidised canteen on campus, the lobbying of the Mayor of Greater Manchester for discounted student tram tickets, and the expansion of accommodation bursaries.
Grace Hollingsworth – Wellbeing and Liberation:
The race for Wellbeing and Liberation Officer was one of the tightest and crowded campaigns this season, with Grace Hollingsworth winning by only 40 votes ahead of runner-up Maha Shaikh, who lead through all rounds of voting bar the final.
Hollingsworth aims to promote flexible hybrid learning, noting the benefits for students who commute, are carers or in part-time work. Furthermore, they hope to work with the University to provide access to emergency accommodation for students in unsafe housing situations.
Hollingsworth’s win perhaps comes as an upset according to The Mancunion‘s endorsement tracker. Runner-up Maha Shaikh had the backing of nine societies, more than all other candidates running for Wellbeing and Liberation combined.
Aaina Mohapatra – Activities and Culture:
Returning for another year in the post, Aaina Mohapatra has been re-elected by a comfortable margin of nearly 700 votes. This perhaps reflects the number of societies who endorsed her, with her 15 endorsements five times the total of all her competitors.
In her campaign, Mohapatra emphasised the importance of career support and visa pathways for international students, hoping to utilise UoM’s alumni network and build partnerships with employers that sponsor visas.
Furthermore, she calls for a flexible tuition payment plan, noting a similar system in place in MMU, where students do not have to pay in a lump sum manner.
Ann Lee – Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health:
Your new FBMH Officer is Ann Lee, a former Halls Exec, Academic Rep and University Counselling Group facilitator. In a one-horse race, Ann Lee managed to secure a high number of endorsements, with 10 societies backing them.
Lee seeks to make the teaching and learning of health more inclusive, in particular for non-binary and transgender individuals. She also hopes to advocate for clearer AI guidelines, as well as tailored support for assessments.
Alongside these, she aims to lobby for gender-neutral bathrooms across all buildings, and better upkeep of facilities.
Jack Newton – Faculty of Science and Engineering:
The winner of the race to be the new FSE Officer is Jack Newton, who came first ahead of runner-up Mochi Choi by roughly 250 votes.
Newton summarises their campaign in four words; democratise, demarketise, demilitarise and decarbonise.
A key aspect of this is how he hopes to work with student groups to pressure the university to cut ties with Tel Aviv University, in line with the Union Assembly vote late last year.
Alec Severs – Faculty of Humanities:
Alec Severs has been re-elected to a second term as Faculty of Humanities Officer, with a massive majority of nearly 2,000 votes.
Severs placed living and learning conditions at the heart of his campaign, including increased education on workers’ and tenants’ rights, better awareness of the needs of those in part-time work, and more material support for international and domestic students.
Alongside a focus on material conditions, Severs calls for greater action to achieve a decolonised and anti-racist student experience, as well as opposition to the return of on-campus exams.
Beck Heslop – Postgraduate Research:
Despite a crowded field, the new PGR Officer is Beck Heslop, winning with 350 votes.
Endorsements were split somewhat evenly between candidates running for PGR Officer, with three candidates (including Heslop) receiving two endorsements, and two receiving the backing of one society each.
Heslop hopes to extend access to university emails and resources after course completion, as well as continuing career support. Furthermore, they aim to provide financial support to PGRs during submission-pending and pre-viva periods, while also establishing a digital notice board for PGR events and socials.
When will the Executive Officers take up their new roles?
Over the summer, the current officers will engage with their newly-elected successors throughout a handover process, and will have taken over by beginning of the 2026/27 academic year.
