The race for the top job is down to two candidates.
Robb Larmer, a third-year political science and human rights student, decided to drop out of the race to become president of the St. Thomas University students’ union.
“I felt that I wasn’t the most qualified candidate. I have no experience with this. Both of the other candidates have more experience in student politics. That’s the primary reason,” said Larmer.
John Hoben and Emily Sheen are the two remaining candidates.
Larmer also said he wants to graduate on time.
The STUSU president is required to take no more than nine credit hours per semester, which often means a fifth year is required to graduate.
“It’s been something I’ve considered and I figured at some point I had to make the decision and I would hate to get in and then realize that I’m not quite qualified,” he said Sunday afternoon.
Larmer said he is throwing his support behind John Hoben.
“It was done on the condition that he addressed the issues that I campaigned on,” he said.
Larmer said Hoben agreed that if he wins he’ll give funding to the University of New Brunswick Sexuality Centre and the women’s centre at UNB.
But Hoben said he hasn’t promised to take on those issues. He will lobby the university to fund the sexuality centre and women’s centre, but they’re “not at the top” of his priority list.
As of Sunday afternoon, Larmer had not told STUSU chief returning officer Sarah Bulman he planned to drop out.
Bulman said a candidate must formally withdraw in writing to her.
Larmer said he plans to run for an off-campus representative position in the fall election.
Last year, Michael Manning announced he was dropping out of the race for the top job during his speech in James Dunn Hall.
Earlier this week, Frank Jr. Molley was disqualified by Bulman because he missed a mandatory candidates meeting.
