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How to Run Elections

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How to Run Elections Guidance

Key Information

  • Elections for society/club exec need to be completed before the end of Week 9, Term 2 unless given written and explicit dispensation by the SU to have this deadline extended.
  • Only standard members who have held membership for at least 14 days are eligible to stand and vote in the elections.
  • Every club and society must hold annual elections where all exec are elected.
  • Members must be given at least 2 weeks notice of the election date (date voting opens) by email circulation/ social media post.
  • This also includes representative roles who are elected to ensure communities within Society/ Sports Clubs are properly represented.
  • The eligibility to vote or run for a ‘representative’ executive members to members who self-identify as part of the corresponding community. This restriction must follow any Students’ Union guidance issued regarding compliance with data protection legislation.If there are any questions with this please contact the Student Voice Team.
  • If you want to run an online election through the SU then please contact the Student Voice Team or fill out the online formhere, please note there is no requirement to use our system.
  • If you hold elections yourself (not through the SU system) you must provide a proof of election which is linked and detailed below.
  • Election Rules can be found here: Governance

Pre-Election

Changing the composition of your exec:

  • The composition of your exec should be detailed within your society/club’s constitution, and alterations to this will require the approval of your club’s membership at a general meeting.
  • To hold a general meeting, you need to give your society/club’s membership 1 weeks’ notice of the event and any motions you as an exec intend to bring forward. Motions from members can be brought on the day if needed.
  • Quoracy requirements for a general meeting are a 7% of your membership or 5 members whichever is greater. This can be higher if this is put in your constitution. SU staff may in circumstances that they consider exceptional temporarily amend a Club’s or Society’s quorum following a request from society or clubs.
  • We require holding at least one (annual) general meeting a year as recognised good practice in any case, but if you are looking to reshape your exec then you will need to hold one before the election (an Emergency General Meeting/EGM).

Before the day:

Members must be given at least 2 weeks notice of the election (date that voting opens) date by email circulation/ social media post. The nominations period must be open for at least 1 week and can only open once all members have been notified of the election date.

Info that must go out to society/club members at least 2 week before the election includes:

  • The positions open for election
  • The nominations period and how a member may nominate themselves
  • The voting period and how a member can vote
  • How absent members may vote if unable to attend an in-person election (hybrid options/proxy voting etc...). Remember all members must have an equal opportunity to access hustings and voting:
    • You must consider disability access and length of time elections are held over
    • You must conduct elections to be accessible in the English language
    • Must allow members to vote who are on years abroad/distance learning/part-time/unable to attend

Only standard members who have held membership for at least 14 days are eligible to stand and vote in the elections. All positions must hold their own separate elections. Associate/honorary members cannot stand. Elections can run in a meeting or online.

There cannot be requirements or conditions for running for or voting for exec positions outside of being a member of the Society/ Club. For example, you cannot limit nominations for the President role to those who have already been on exec nor could you limit voting for Men’s first team captain to the first team players only.

As an Exec member you represent all members of your society and club and therefore you must allow all members to nominate and vote in these elections.

No candidate may use Society or Club resources to promote their campaign. Likewise, no exec member may promote or use Society or Club resources to promote any candidate over another.

Candidates manifestos may not contain inappropriate language including:

  • Expletives
  • Sexual references
  • Encouragement of excessive drinking/drunkenness
  • Drug-taking references
  • Discriminatory language

During Election:

Votes must be cast and counted using a First Post the Post or Single Transferable Vote electoral system agreed by a Society or Club General meeting/specified in the Constitution prior to the election. If requested a secret ballot can be held.

  • Voting must reach quorum, which is 7 percent of your membership or 5 members, whichever is greater (unless your Constitution sets it higher).
  • The minimum quorum does not apply to elections for representative roles.
  • Re-Open Nominations (R.O.N.) must be a candidate for all positions being elected.
  • If R.O.N. is elected to a position, then nominations for that post must be re-opened at a later date.

If R.O.N is elected to a position then nominations for that post are be re-opened at a later date.

Votes should be counted by a current member of the Society or Club without a conflict of interest (e.g. an outgoing member) this person is known and will serve as the deputy- returning officer of the election. The returning officer (a sabbatical officer, or SU staff member) can be requested to count or offer independent scrutiny depending on availability. Support can therefore be provided for election counts and complaints if needed.

Society/Club members should receive the provisional exec election results no later than 5 working days after voting has closed by the exec in case of a meeting ballot or by the relevant SU staff if conducted through the SU system.

Results are provisional for 7 working days after members are notified to allow for complaints, which can be put to adjudication panel (usually a sabbatical officer, or SU staff member) for decision.

After Elections

If you have used the SU provided system with which clubs/ societies can hold their elections, there is nothing left for you to do.

The SU does require proof of election. Please bear in mind if you run your election through the SU website then you do not need to provide further proof of election. If you have run your election externally to the SU then please provide the following:

  • The format/site used for election (e.g. paper ballots, Google forms etc.) and a brief outline of the process used to nominate candidates and collect votes.
  • List of positions up for election & successful candidates.
  • Timeline of election: dates of announcement to members (with at least 14 days' notice for voting), dates of nomination window (at least 7 days) and voting (if online, at least 48 hours).
  • Minutes of any meeting/voting (If in a teams call or equivalent, you could alternatively provide a recording or transcript of the meeting) .
  • Please include the number of votes case for each candidate in the minutes
  • See an example 'proof of election' document here
  • See a guide to minuting a Society/ Club meeting here.

With these proof of elections please keep them for when you are completing your handover pack.

Key Links

To submit an election through the SU please follow this link: Submit an Election.

If there are any questions please email please contact the studentvoice@warwicksu.com.

Results

  • Provisional election results will be communicated to the society no later than 3 working days after voting has closed. By the Exec in the case of a meeting ballot or by the Student Voice Team if conducted online.
  • Results are provisional for 7 working days after members are notified to allow for complaints, which can be put to adjudication panel for decision
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