How To Run For Election
Whether you are running for a sabbatical position, a part-time role or the NUS delegation there are some key things you need to do to get yourself elected!
Step One: Decision Time
Obtain a nomination form and guidelines booklet and decide what you want to run for. You could think about what skills you have and what issues you are interested in.
Step Two: Become a Candidate
In order to become a candidate you need to complete and submit a nomination form for each position for which you are running. You also need to submit a personal statement, two passport photographs and a copy of your publicity. If you would like the form in alternative formats please ask at the Student Union Reception on the ground floor of the Haigh Building or the Membership Services Area on the first floor. Alternatively you can email M.Proctor@ljmu.ac.uk or call 0151 231 4900.
- Complete your section of the nomination form- Firstly you need to complete the candidates section of the nomination form- amongst other things you need to say who you are and what position you are standing for. It’s important to ensure that the form is fully completed, with correct information. Any form that is incomplete or falsified may result in the candidate being removed from the election. If you are running in a team with other students you must ensure that you agree on a name for your “slate”, and note it in on the form. This name will be included on official election publicity, so choose carefully! Offensive or derogatory team names which break LSU policy will not be permitted.
Forms can be downloaded from here. Guidance Notes can be downloaded here.
- Get Nominators- All candidates must get seven current LJMU students to nominate them- a “nominator”, “seconder” and five supporters. These students must write their name, LJMU student number and signature in the appropriate section of the nomination form. Remember, you can’t nominate yourself.
- Prepare your Personal Statement- To help raise awareness of the elections, and to let students know about all the candidates, LSU produces an Election Guide. Each candidate has 250 words to outline why they are standing for election and what they would like to do if elected. It is also put on the Union’s website. Try and keep to 250 words as anything over this limit will be disregarded. Also, please note that we will not correct any grammatical or spelling errors.
Prepare Official Publicity- All Candidates are entitled to some free photocopies from LSU, but it’s up to you to decide what sort of publicity you want - you could produce posters, flyers, or leaflets, or a combination of these. If you are standing within a “slate”, you can combine your publicity allocation with that of other members of your team. Please see entitlement details at the end of this booklet. If you are unsure of your free publicity entitlement, please ask.
Remember do not use copyrighted, or trade marked logos, characters or themes.
A Publicity Request Form can be downloaded here. Guidance notes can be downloaded here.
- Hand it all in!- After all the effort of preparing and collecting all the necessary information don’t forget to hand it in to the Haigh Building Reception by 4pm on Friday 14th March 2008. You will need to hand in:
- Nomination form
- Two passport photographs. You should also email a picture to M.Proctor@ljmu.ac.uk by the nomination deadline
- Copy of Personal Statement. You should also email a copy to M.Proctor@ljmu.ac.uk by the nomination deadline
- Copy of publicity and outline of what publicity you want
Step Three: See the list of candidates
A list of candidates will be produced and distributed on Monday 17th March 2008. It will be available at Union sites and on the Union’s website.
The list contains only the names of the candidates whose nominations have been declared valid by the Deputy Returning Officer. If you submitted a form, but your name does not appear on the list of candidates, this means that your nomination has not been accepted. If this is the case please contact the Haigh Building Reception as soon as possible.
Step Four: Campaign!
The single biggest factor in whether someone gets elected is whether they go out and campaign.
- Publicity- Candidates will be able to pick their publicity entitlement from the Haigh Building Reception on Monday 31st March. Once you have your publicity, it’s up to you to decide where you think it will have the maximum effect. If you want to display your publicity on LJMU premises, you must get permission first from the Academic Office or Site Manager. Please note that all publicity displayed must be stamped with an official LSU stamp.
Within the Haigh Building and any other LSU premises, there will be limited, designated publicity space. Official LSU staff will display any election material within these areas.
- Talk to Students- Going out and speaking to potential voters is a fantastic way of getting people to vote for you. It gives you a chance to tell them your plans and to seek their opinions on what they’d like elected officers to do.
- Candidates’ Question Time- Candidates’ Question Times, also known as “Hustings”, are run by LSU. They are an opportunity for voters to come along and hear more about the candidates. Each candidate can make a short speech before answering questions submitted by the audience. Candidates’ Question Time is not as scary as it sounds and is yet another brilliant way of promoting your campaign. Candidates’ Question Times will be held from 7th-9th April Candidates will be advised of locations and times.
- Facebook- Facebook is a fantastic way of communicating with the prospective voters. Facebook, however, should not be used for campaigning until 31st April.
Step Six: Voting
The voting period runs from 2pm on Wednesday 9th to 2pm on Friday 11th April 2008. Students will be able to vote at one of four sites;
- The Haigh Building
- I M Marsh
- Byrom Street
- Avril Robarts
Each ballot box is open for different hours during the voting period. It’s advisable to make sure you have supporters at each site so they can chat to students before they vote.
What Not to Do
There are a number of rules and regulations governing the election process. These may seem tough but they are in place to ensure that the election is fair and democratic.
If you are planning to do something but are not sure if it breaks the rules, please ask first. Any candidate breaking the election rules may be disqualified.
Candidates must not;
· display publicity within ten yards of the ballot boxes, during the voting period
· deface or destroy any election material, including that of other candidates
· pay, buy presents for, or wine and dine prospective voters (in line with Electoral Reform Society rules)
· threaten, force or compel voters, or restrain them from voting
· interfere with voters attempting to cast their vote
· deliberately attempt to mislead and/or misinform the electorate, or falsify any document or information that constitutes a requirement of the election process
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