ELECTIONS CANDIDATE
Inthishandbookyou’llfindeverythingyouneedtoguideyou throughtheelectionsprocessasacandidate.
We’reattheheartofstudentlifehereatHerts.We’rehereto supportstudentsontheirjourney,makingsureit’sthebestitcan be.
Weworkcloselywiththeunitoenrichthestudentexperience. Becausewe’reindependentfromtheuni,wecanrepresent studentsandlobbyforchangeaccordingtostudentfeedback.We alsoprovidestudentswithloadsofopportunitiesthat complementtheirstudiessotheycanmakefriendsforlife,create life-longmemoriesanddeveloptheirtransferableskills.Our Advice&Supportteamarealsoonhandtohelpstudentswith anythingthatmaybetroublingthem.
We’reproudtobeledbyourElectedOfficersandstudentleaders whoensurestudents’bestinterestsareattheforefrontofwhatwe do.Electionsgivestudentsanexcitingchancetodeterminewho theirnewelectedstudentleaderswillbe,meaningtheycanhelp toshapethefutureofHerts.
KEYDATES DEVELOPMENT SESSIONS
Monday2ndFebruary(10:00)Monday23rdFebruary(10:00)
Monday9 March-Friday20 March th th Wednesday25thMarch Monday23 February-Friday27 February rd th
ELECTED OFFICERROLES
PRESIDENTCOMMUNITY
AnnualSalaryof£25,500(TBC)
Full-Time
You’llbeakeylinkbetweenstudents,theSU&theuni Youwillberesponsiblefortakingthestudentvoiceto thetop,drivingbigscalechange
Yourkeyareaoffocuswillbeensuringthestudent experienceisthebestitcanbeandthatallstudents feelpartoftheHertscommunity
You’llhelpustoensurethere’ssomethingfor everyone,makingsureourevents,initiativesand servicesareaccessible,variedandappealing
PRESIDENTEDUCATION
AnnualSalaryof£25,500(TBC)
Full-Time
You’llbeakeylinkbetweenstudents,theSU&theuni Youwillberesponsiblefortakingthestudentvoiceto thetop,drivingbigscalechange
Yourkeyareaoffocuswillbeensuringtheacademic experienceisthebestitcanbeacrossalltheSchools ofStudy
You’llhelpustoensureallstudentsareempowered andsupportedinachievingtheirdegreeaspirations
SOCIETY COMMITTEEMEMBER ROLES
CHAIR
Voluntary
Afewhourseachweek
You’llberesponsibleforthedayto dayrunningofyoursociety
You’llleadyourcommitteeand ensurethesuccessofyoursoc
TREASURER
Voluntary
Afewhourseachweek
You’llbethefinancialleadforyour society
You’llmakesureyoursociety accountmaintainsahealthy balance
You’llgettoapplyforSociety Funding
INCLUSIONOFFICER
Voluntary
Afewhourseachweek
You’llmakesureyoursocietyis inclusiveandwelcoming
You’llensureanyeventsyourunare completelyaccessible
Wehaveanumberofrulescandidatesmustfollowtoensureour electionsarefair.Here’sabird’seyeviewofthebehaviouryou’ll needtodemonstrateasacandidate,butpleasefamiliarise yourselfwiththefullRules&Regulationsbeforerunning.
BERESPECTFUL
Treatallcandidates,students andstaffwithdignityand fairnessthroughoutthe process.
DON’TMISUSEAUTHORITY
Youmustn’tusepositionsof authority(likemembershipsof clubsorsocieties,student leaderrolesetc)topromote yourcampaign.
UPHOLDINTEGRITY
Campaignhonestlyand ethically,focusingonyour visionandvalues.Avoid negativeordiscreditingtactics towardsothercandidates.
RESPECTBOUNDARIES
Whencampaigning,bemindful thatnoteveryonewantsto participateintheelectionshonourtheirwishesifaskedto beleftalone.Allowstudents spacetostudy,socialiseor relaxwithoutdisturbanceby beingmindfulofwhereyou’re campaigning.
BEINCLUSIVE
Respectthediverse backgrounds,beliefsand identitiesofallindividuals. Fosterawelcomingand inclusiveatmosphere throughoutyourcampaign.
CAMPAIGNLEGALLY
Useonlyapproveddigital materialsandavoid distributingprintedmaterials. Makesureanythingyoubuyis withinyourcampaignbudget andthatyoukeepholdofyour receiptssoyoucanbe reimbursedlateron.
RAISECONCERNSAPPROPRIATELY
Don’tconfrontothercandidates ifyouthinkthey’re misbehaving.Reportthem confidentiallythroughofficial channels.
PROTECTTHEDEMOCRATICPROCESS
Ensureeveryvotercancast theirballotfreelyandwithout interference.Neveruseyour devicesorhandlesomeone else’stofacilitatevoting.
COMPLAINTS
Sometimeselectionsdon’truncompletelysmoothly.Ifyoubelieve ruleshavebeenbrokenbyanothercandidateandwishtomakea complaint,pleaseletusknowathertssu.com/complaints.
Pleasenotethatelectionscomplaintsaresubjecttoour ComplaintsProcedure.Thedeadlineforsubmittingcomplaintsis 3pmonFriday20thMarch.
Thekeytoasuccessfulelectionforacandidateisastrong campaign.Hereareourtoptips!
YOURCAMPAIGN YOURUNIQUESELLINGPOINT
Buildabrandthatissimple buteye-catching.
Thinkoutsidethebox!Every candidatehasthesame budgetandrulestoplayto, butwhatcouldyoudoto standoutfromthecrowd? Beboldsoyoucan’tbe missed.
Talktostudentsaboutwhy you’rerunningandwhythey shouldvoteforyou.Voters wanttoknowwhoyouare andwhatyoustandfor. Speakpassionatelyand truthfully.
Planyourtimewellin advance.Campaigning shouldn’ttakeoveryourlife orstopyoufromattending lectures.
Makesurethestudentsyou speakwithknowhowtovote. Don’tforgetthatyouwant studentstoputyouastheir firstpreference,ortheir secondpreferenceifthey’ve alreadychosennumberone.
Whatareyoupassionate about?Whatareyour ambitionsfortherole?
Onceyou’vecomeupwith someideas,thinkabouthow youcoulddrivethese changes.Beambitiousbut realistic.
Whoareyou?Whyshould studentstrustyoutobea leader?Makesureyour personalityiscoming throughaspartofyour campaign.
BUDGET
ELECTIONSBYDEFINITION
BALLOT
Asystemofvoting anonymously.
CAMPAIGNING
Thetacticsemployedbya candidatetoraisetheirprofile andencouragevoterstovote favourablyforthem.
CANDIDATE
Apersonrunninginthe election.
CANDIDATEBRIEFING
Acompulsorysessionforall candidates.Candidateswill learnabouttheelections process,begivenguidance aboutcampaigningandhave thechancetoaskany questions.You’llalsobeable tominglewiththeother candidateswhoyou’llbe sharingthisexperiencewith!
CANDIDATEDEBRIEF
Anopendiscussionwhere candidatescangivetheir feedbackabouttheirelections experience.
NOMINATION
Formallyenteringanelection asacandidate.
POLLINGSTATION
Locatedoncampus,thesegive studentstheopportunityto votein-person.
RESULTS
Theoutcomeofanelection.
SINGLETRANSFERRABLEVOTING
Avotingprocesswhichlets yourankcandidatesinyour orderofpreference,enabling voterstosaywhothey’dliketo winiftheirfirst(orsecond, third...)choiceiseliminated fromthecount.
VOTING
Theprocesswherebystudents canselecttheirfavourite candidates.
