RCVS and VN Councils elections results

The results are now in for the 2013 Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) Council and Veterinary Nurses (VN) Council elections – and the turnout among vets is the highest seen in ten years. 4,661 veterinary surgeons voted, surpassing the previous highpoint of 4,232 in 2010. This year’s VN Council election saw the highest ever number of veterinary nurses voting (1,329).

Veterinary surgeons voted incumbents Christopher Gray, Peter Jinman, Bradley Viner, Christopher Tufnell, and Jeremy Davies back onto the RCVS Council. However, the highest number of votes was given to Thomas Witte, who will be new to Council when he takes his seat in July.

Veterinary nurses voted similarly by returning Andrea Jeffery to VN Council, whilst giving to Amy Robinson, another newcomer, the largest number of votes.

Turnout in both elections has increased markedly on last year in both absolute and proportional terms.

“We’re delighted with the increase in turnout,” said Gordon Hockey, RCVS Registrar.

Votes were cast by 4,661 veterinary surgeons (18.8%) and 1,329 veterinary nurses (12.5%), compared to 3,625 (15.1%) and 743 (7.5%), respectively, in 2012. 

“We’re delighted with the increase in turnout,” said Gordon Hockey, RCVS Registrar. “It’s difficult to pinpoint the reasons for the increase, but hopefully, it’s because increasing numbers of vets and nurses are feeling more engaged with the College.

"We have also undertaken extra communications activities this year, such as the ‘hustings,’ which we hope have helped.”

The Council election ‘hustings’ was a new venture this year, with RCVS Council candidates able to select three questions, submitted by voters, to answer in a live webinar run by The Webinar Vet.

Veterinary surgeons and VNs could cast their votes by post, online, or by text. The majority of vets voting chose to cast postal votes (3,247), as did the majority of VNs (1,055).

Whilst voting online was used by 1,330 veterinary surgeons, only 227 VNs chose it as a means of voting. Voting by text was used by only 84 veterinary surgeons and 47 VNs.

The successful candidates will take up or resume their seats at RCVS Day on 5 July.

The full results of the two elections are as follows:

RCVS Council election

Twenty-two votes in the RCVS Council election were found to be invalid.

VN Council election

One vote in the VN Council election was found to be invalid.

The 2013 RCVS and VN Council elections were run on behalf of the RCVS by Electoral Reform Services.