0 , ▁on - line ▁voting ▁was ▁allowed ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time . ▁, ▁it ▁carried ▁a ▁st ip end ▁of ▁£ 6 , 9 0 1 ▁( £ 4 , 6 9 5 ▁as ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 5 ) ▁plus ▁£ 4 0 ▁in ▁travel ▁exp enses ▁for ▁each ▁Cre we ian ▁Or ation . ▁ ▁Since ▁ 1 7 0 8 , ▁ 4 5 ▁persons ▁have ▁been ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁position ▁including ▁many ▁prominent ▁po ets ▁and ▁academ ics . ▁Simon ▁Ar mit age , ▁elected ▁on ▁ 1 9 ▁June ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁is ▁the ▁current ▁Professor ▁of ▁Po etry . ▁He ▁will ▁be ▁succeeded ▁on ▁ 1 ▁October ▁ 2 0 1 9 ▁by ▁Alice ▁O sw ald . ▁ ▁E lections ▁The ▁elections ▁typically ▁attract ▁media ▁attention ▁and ▁involve ▁campaign ing ▁by ▁pro ponents ▁of ▁quite ▁diverse ▁candidates . ▁In ▁the ▁past , ▁both ▁pract ising ▁po ets ▁and ▁academic ▁critics ▁have ▁been ▁chosen . ▁▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁E lection ▁On ▁ 1 6 ▁May ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁Ruth ▁P adel ▁defeated ▁the ▁Indian ▁poet ▁Ar v ind ▁Me h ro tra ▁to ▁become ▁the ▁first ▁woman ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁post ▁since ▁its ▁in ception ▁in ▁ 1 7 0 8 . ▁The ▁Nobel ▁Prize - Win ning ▁candidate ▁D erek ▁Wal c ott ▁had ▁with dra wn ▁his ▁candid acy , ▁following ▁what ▁he ▁called ▁a ▁“ low ▁and ▁de grad ing ” ▁campaign ▁against ▁him