This year, the Students’ Union is making a significant improvement to our processes for electing Club and Society signatories. This is a big change, but it brings our election processes up-to-date with current best practice. As prospective candidates and voters, there are some important things you need to know if you are interested in getting involved in Club and Society leadership next year!
Essential Information
- The elections process will include a nominations period (7 – 11 April), a deadline for candidates to submit candidate information for the voting page (14 April), and a voting period (14 – 16 April).
- Students will only be eligible to run/vote in elections for clubs and societies to which they have a membership by 31 March.
- Eligible students will be able to run for one signatory position per club/society to which they have a current valid membership.
- The voting system will be STV (single transferrable vote), allowing voters to rank candidates in order of preference.
- Only one vote and one candidate per each signatory position will be required to make the election valid.
- Clubs and societies will need to successfully elect all three of their signatory positions in order to remain active next year.
Important Documents
You can find links to useful documents below, including: further guidance & answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), a guide to the elections rules, and an outline of the reasons for and benefits of this change.
There is also a Club & Society Elections website page now available where you can find out more.
Process Summary
Elections for signatory positions for all Clubs and Societies will be conducted online via the Union website via the Elections Portal (please note this link will not go live until 7 April). The new process will include a nominations period (7 – 11 April), a deadline for candidates to submit their information for the voting page (14 April), and a voting period (14 – 16 April). Results will be published online following the close of voting once the count for all elections has been completed on 16 April.
There will be a deadline ahead of the elections period for the close of the electoral roll. The electoral roll is the list of all students who are eligible to run/vote in these elections. The electoral roll will be comprised of all students who have a current valid official membership on the Union website by the cut off date of 31 March. Students will only be eligible to run/vote in elections for clubs and societies to which they have a membership by 31 March.
Eligible students will be able to run for one signatory position per club/society to which they have a current valid official membership on the Union website. Students can therefore run for a signatory position in more than one club/society, however they will be limited to only running for one signatory position per group.
Interested in Club & Society Leadership?
You have until 31 March to ensure that you have purchased a membership to the Clubs and Societies whose elections you’d like to take part in, either as a voter or candidate.
If you’re already a current Club or Society committee member, you should:
- Ensure you’ve read over the information documents and the website page provided below.
- Inform your members that the elections process is coming up: inform them about the nominations period (7 – 11 April), a deadline for candidates to submit candidate information for the voting page (14 April), and a voting period (14 – 16 April).
- Encourage members to consider nominating themselves for election and ensure they are aware of the three signatory roles and their responsibilities.
If you want to find out more, check out our dedicated Club & Society Elections website page.
