The Deputy Returning Officer is an appointed member of staff who, with the support of the Returning Officer, oversees the election process to ensure the election is compliant with students' union bye-laws. The Deputy Returning Officer handles the day to day running of the election, including dealing with elections complaints.
Below is a summary of the complaints received and the decisions made.
Date | Nature of complaint | ruling |
---|---|---|
20 February 2025 | Early campaigning via Instagram. | Campaigning profile made private |
14 March 2025 | Negative campaigning from a candidate supporter towards a candidate. | Complaint not upheld |
15 March 2025 | Removal of a candidate's posters. | Complaint not upheld |
16 March 2025 | A candidate has covered another candidate's posters. | Complaint not upheld |
17 March 2025 | Removal of a candidate's posters. | Complaint not upheld due to insufficient evidence |
18 to 21 March 2025 | Candidate accused of harassing students and providing misleading information about voting processes (five separate complaints for the same candidate). | Official written warning |
19 March 2025 | Untranslated campaigning materials shared on WeChat (two candidates) | Official written warning |
19 March 2025 | Negative personal campaigning | Complaint not upheld |
19 March 2025 | Removal of a candidate's posters. | Complaint not upheld |
20 March 2025 | Candidate offered to pay students who voted via WeChat | Candidate disqualification |
20 March 2025 | Candidates campaigning in halls and intimidating votes (two candidates). | Complaint not upheld |
20 March 2025 | Negative personal campaigning (three complaints). | Complaint not upheld |
20 March 2025 | Intimidation and slander. | Complaint not upheld |
20 March 2025 | Putting pressure on a student to vote. | Official written warning and voter's ballot removed |
21 March 2025 | Negative personal campaigning. | Complaint not upheld |
21 March 2025 | Candidate campaigning near marketing activations | Complaint not upheld |
21 March 2025 | Putting pressure on a student to vote. | Official written warning and voter's ballot removed |
21 March 2025 | Putting pressure on a student to vote. | Complaint not upheld |
21 March 2025 | Putting pressure on a student to vote. | Complaint not upheld |
21 March 2025 | Putting pressure on a student to vote. | Complaint not upheld |
Club and Society Complaints
Date | Nature of complaint | ruling |
---|---|---|
03 March 2025 | Early campaigning. | Complaint not upheld. |
11 March 2025 | Early campaigning. | Campaigning ban issued from 13 March 2025 to 16 March 2025. |
13 March 2025 | English translation not provided for campaign materials. | Candidate asked to provide English translation for campaign materials. |
14 March 2025 | Early campaigning. | Complaint not upheld. |
14 March 2025 | Early campaigning. | Complaint not upheld. |
17 March 2025 | English translation not provided for campaign materials. | Candidate asked to provide English translation for campaign materials. |
17 March 2025 | Use of resources not readily available to all candidates. | Complaint not upheld. |
17 March 2025 | Negative personal campaigning, intimidation of voters. | Complaint not upheld. |
17 March 2025 | Intimidation of voters. | Complaint not upheld. |
17 March 2025 | Reference to another candidacy in campaign materials. | Nominations withdrawn; manifestos edited to remove references to other candidates. |
18 March 2025 | English translation not provided for campaign materials; inappropriate endorsement. | Written warning issued. |
18 March 2025 | Use of resources not readily available to all candidates. | Candidate withdrawn from election. |
18 March 2025 | Negative personal campaigning. | Complaint not upheld. |
19 March 2025 | Reference to another candidacy in campaign materials; English translation not provided for campaign materials. | Written warning issued. |
20 March 2025 | Negative personal campaigning. | Complaint not upheld. |
20 March 2025 | Use of resources not readily available to all candidates; early campaigning; inappropriate endorsement. | Committee positions removed from election. |
20 March 2025 | Unsolicited communication. | Complaint not upheld. |
20 March 2025 | Early campaigning. | Written warning issued. |
21 March 2025 | Reference to another candidacy in campaign materials; unsolicited communication. | Written warning issued. |
21 March 2025 | Reference to another candidacy in campaign materials; unsolicited communication. | Written warning issued. |
21 March 2025 | Inappropriate endorsement. | Committee positions removed from election. |
21 March 2025 | Unsolicited communication. | Complaint not upheld. |
21 March 2025 | Early campaigning; reference to another candidacy in campaign materials. | Written warning issued. |