The RCVS has announced the results of the RCVS Council elections, which saw a record number and proportion of the profession turning out to vote this year.

8,834 of the 33,857 eligible voters cast their votes, a turnout rate of 26.2%. This compares to a 25.5% turnout in the 2019 election and 22.7% in 2018.

The results of the election were as follows:

Dr Kate Richards (pictured right) – 4,399 votes (elected)
Dr Richard Stephenson – 3,943 votes (elected)
Dr Melissa Donald – 3,807 votes (elected)
Professor Stephen May – 3,121 votes
Dr Kit Sturgess – 2,816 votes
Peter Robinson – 2,642 votes
John Davies – 808 votes
Dr Tom Lonsdale – 535 votes

Eleanor Ferguson, RCVS Registrar and Returning Officer for both elections, said: “Many congratulations to all those who were elected this year and we look forward to welcoming them to their places on Council at our Annual General Meeting later this year.

“I would like to thank both Professor Stephen May and Dr Kit Sturgess for their many years of combined service, both as members of RCVS Council and for serving on numerous committees, subcommittees and working groups. In Stephen’s case this includes his service as President of the RCVS in 2017-18 and for Kit as Treasurer of the RCVS from 2017 until the present.

As Dr Sturgess had been elected to the position of Junior Vice-President of the RCVS for 2020-21 earlier this year, a new election for the position will need to take place amongst RCVS Council members during their June meeting. An election for a new Chair and Vice-Chair of VN Council will take place take place amongst VN Council members at a meeting in June.

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