Got a question about elections?

 

This page will give you some FAQs about our student officer elections
 
Got a question that isn't covered here? Drop us an email su.democracy@uos.ac.uk
 

 

Why are we having elections?

As a Students' Union, we are a democratic organisation, run for and by students, so it's really important we have students in officer and rep roles leading us, and students voting on who these officers and reps should be. This is what our elections are all about - students discussing what the priorities should be as a Union, on your course and in your halls, how we should runs things and how we should tackle key issues, and choosing their officer team and their reps based off this

What roles are we electing and what do they do?

All our officer roles are up for grabs in these Elections. The two presidential roles are full-time, paid positions, where you will have the chance to be the political lead of the SU, shaping our direction. Several part-time Officer roles are up for grabs in these Elections too. These voluntary roles are a great opportunity for you to work alongside your studies. Some include School Officers - which allow you to work within your own school, representing student voice and advocating for change; and Liberation Officers - advocating for liberated voices. All of our roles come with full training and support from the Students' Union, and are a fantastic chance to improve the student experience.

How do I get involved?

Nominations open at 10am on Monday 20 January, and close at 10am on Thursday 6 March. During this time you can decide if you'd like to stand for one of the roles, nominate yourself here on our SU website and then start preparing your campaign. If you don't want to run for a post, you can still get involved by voting - and this is a really important part of the elections! The polls open on Monday 10 March at 10am and close on Thursday 13 March at 10am.

When does campaigning and voting start?

The polls open on Monday 10 March at 10am and close on Thursday 13 March at 10am. Campaigning is only allowed during this time. Even if you get your nomination in early, you still can't campaign until voting starts. There will be more information given to candidates in the candidate briefings

How can I nominate myself?

First of all, make sure you're logged in (orange button in the top right of the page). Then you'll need to make sure you're nominating for a role you're eligible to run for - namely that you are actually part of that school or identify as part of that liberation group if you're running for an officer role (you can select your self-identification groups here: www.uosunion.org/elections/profile/) If none of that has worked, please email su.democracy@uos.ac.uk and we'll be able to help!

How do I make an elections complaint?

There are rules that govern how our elections run to make sure they are fair and accessible to all students. All candidates and their teams that run in these elections are bound by these rules. You can find a copy of these rules on the Candidate Hub. If, whether as another candidate or as a student, you see anything you think might be breaking the rules or that isn't fair, you can report this to our Deputy Returning Officer