Find the answers to our most commonly asked questions about the club and society elections:
- What is the elections timeline?
Nominations open: midday Monday 29 April
Nominations close: midday Wednesday 15 May
Candidates announced: Friday 17 May
Voting opens: midday Monday 20 May
Voting closes: midday Friday 24 May- Can I run for multiple positions within the same club/society?
You can nominate yourself for as many positions as you would like!
We know some students may wish to put themselves forward for a few positions within the same club/society, and see which positions they are elected to. This is something which you can do online too. If you are successfully elected to more than one position, please email us at [email protected] to let us know which position you would like to keep, and which position(s) you would like to withdraw from as soon as possible after the election. We may then be able to re-count the election results, which usually means the runner up wins the election instead.
Please note, you cannot hold the position of president or treasurer, and another committee position for the same club/society.
If appropriate, it may be possible for a student to hold two non-principal committee positions for the same club/society.
There are limits on the number of committee positions you can hold at once across all clubs/societies:
- No more than 2 president roles
- No more than 4 principal officer roles (president and treasurer)
No more than 10 committee positions in total
This however doesn’t limit how many positions you can run for! If you are elected to more than the number of positions above, email us at [email protected] and we’ll be able to help.- Can I run for positions in multiple clubs/societies?
Yes – there are no restrictions on how many positions you can run for, but there are some limits to how many positions you can hold at once across all clubs/societies.
You can hold a maximum of:
- 2 president roles
- 4 principal officer roles (president and treasurer)
- 10 committee positions in total
This however doesn’t limit how many positions you can run for! If you are elected to more than the number of positions above, email us at [email protected] and we’ll be able to help.
In general, we recommend you gauge how many positions you can balance with your studies and other commitments.- I can't nominate myself to stand - what can I do?
The nomination and voting periods act as “rolling windows”. In short, if you have held membership for 28 days at any point during the nominations window, you will be able to nominate yourself through our website. This means that if you have not held membership for 28 days on Monday – you can’t nominate yourself yet; but if you have held membership for 28 days on Friday – you will be able to nominate yourself at this point.
If you haven't held membership for 28 days at any point during the nominations window, you can request an exception to this rule by submitting this form by the nomination deadline.
If there’s any other reason you can’t nominate yourself, please email us at [email protected] and we’ll advise you on the next steps!- I haen't been a member for 28 days, can I still run for a position?
If you haven't held membership for 28 days at any point during the nominations window, you can request an exception to this rule by submitting this form by the nomination deadline.
We will then pass your request to the Deputy Returning Officer, who considers requests on an individual basis. We will then notify you of the outcome and explain how you can nominate yourself online.
Please note, you will need to purchase membership before requesting an exception to the 28 day rule.- Can I run/vote with taster membership?
Taster membership entitles you to both run and vote in club and society elections. If you have held membership for 28 days, you will be able to nominate yourself on our website.
- I didn't/couldn't upload a mainfesto/photo when I submitted my nomination, what can I do?
Email us at [email protected] with your photo/manifesto, the club/society and the position you are running for, and we will manually add it to your nomination.
- Do I need to email the election link to all of my members?
Presidents and treasurers are responsible for circulating the link to our election to all of their members.
You must email this link to your members (bcc) instead of posting it on social media, as not everyone has a social media account. You might also post the link on a social media platform which not everyone has access to, or has an account for. Some social media platforms also use algorithms which can prevent students from viewing your content.
You can find your membership list by logging in to the Students’ Union website and going to your club/society page. If you cannot see the option to view your membership list, this may be because you have not completed all of the core training for your role. If you are not sure which training modules you need to complete or are having trouble accessing your club/society page, you can email us at [email protected].- What is the quoracy requirement for online elections?
There is no quoracy requirement for online elections, but if for example we only receive 1 vote for an online committee position, this may not be enough to ‘count’ a valid result. You are required by our regulations to send these elections to all your members, so we hope you will have a high turnout!
The reason there is no quoracy requirement for online votes is because by having voting online, a greater proportion of your members have access to the election and have the opportunity to take part. This is in contrast to an in-person AGM, where it may be difficult for members to attend, or you may be limited as to the number of students who can be in a room.- What happens is the top two candidates receive the same number of votes?
In this scenario, the position would be allocated at random to one of the tied candidates. The result is chosen entirely at random by the computer, and the Students’ Union has no editorial control over the outcome.
- When will nominations be published? Can I see who's running before voting?
Nominations will be published on Friday 17 May, a few days before voting opens, so you will be able to read through manifestos and see who’s running before voting.
- Am I able to view who has nominated themselves for a position before the nominations period closes?
It’s not possible to view nominations before the nominations period closes. You’ll be able to see who has nominated themselves ahead of voting.
This is to help ensure the nomination process is as fair and accessible as possible. If you are a president or treasurer and would like to know how many nominations your committee positions have received, please email us at [email protected]. We will be able to let you know if there are any positions which may need additional advertising from your group.- Can final-year students run if they are applying to continue studying (Master's/PhD) at UCL?
Yes, if you are planning on continuing your studies at UCL, you may run. If, however, you are elected but then do not continue your studies at UCL for any reason, you must notify us via email at [email protected] as soon as possible, so that we can re-open the role for elections. Please note that you cannot hold a committee position if you are not currently enrolled at UCL.
- I'm going to be away from UCL next academic year - can I still nominate myself?
You need to be enrolled in active study at UCL to run for a committee position. If you are going to be on a year or term abroad from September, you won’t be able to run for a committee position. Likewise, if you intend to interrupt your studies, you won’t be able to run for a position as you’ll be temporarily unenrolled from study.
- I'm currently away from UCL but I'll be returning in September - can I nominate myself?
This depends on whether you are currently registered as a student at UCL.
Most year abroad students remain registered at UCL while they’re abroad which means that, although they can’t hold a position while they’re abroad, they should be able to nominate themselves for a position for the year they come back to UCL. If you have taken a sabbatical year to study or work abroad, you may no longer be enrolled at UCL. Likewise if you have interrupted your studies but are returning to UCL in September, you may not currently be enrolled with the university and so may not be able to nominate yourself.
The easiest way to check if you’re currently enrolled at UCL is by logging into Portico and checking the ‘Enrolment and Study Details’ section of the ‘My Portico’ tab.
If your studies have been interrupted this year but you are currently enrolled as a student, and would like to nominate yourself, you may need to request an exception to the 28 day rule.- Can I run with my friend/role-share?
Unfortunately it is not possible to ‘job-share’ for club and society committee positions. If there are two vacancies available for a role, e.g. two marketing officers – students will need to nominate themselves separately. You can endorse other candidates, but you cannot make reference to other candidates in your campaign materials. If you’re not sure, have a look at the election rules or get in touch with us.
- What happens after I'm elected?
If you’re elected, you’ll receive a confirmation email from us in the weeks following the election.
If you’re successfully elected as a principal officer (president or treasurer), you will need to complete training and registration documents before assuming your position. You’ll be emailed the details towards the end of term 3, as well as information on the handover process!
If you have questions in the meanwhile, get in touch by emailing [email protected].- What happens if no-one nominates themselves for a position?
If your club or society does not successfully elect a president, treasurer or welfare officer, we will be in touch with the next steps for your group.
If your club/society does not have a president and treasurer in place by the end of term 3, your group will not be able to complete the required training and registration documents. Your group may therefore be put forward for disaffiliation at this point. Our staff team will support you throughout the elections process and do whatever we can to help you fill your principal officer roles. If you have any concerns you can get in touch, and you’ll be able to chat to a member of our team.
You will be able to elect roles such as your First Year Representative or Postgraduate Representative in term 1.- Do clubs and societies affiliated in term 2 need to take part in these elections?
Clubs and societies affiliated with the Students’ Union in term 2 do not need to take part in the Leadership Race or the Term 3 By-Election – if this applies to your group you will be emailed directly. Please note, if your group was affiliated in term 1 this academic year, you will need to take part in the Leadership Race and the Term 3 By-Election (if necessary).
- When can I start campaigning?
All students can start campaigning when voting opens, at midday on Monday 20 May. Remember there are specific rules in place about campaigning during elections – if you’re not sure about something please email us at [email protected].
- Do clubs and societies have to have an AGM? Can clubs and societies have an AGM even if voting is through the Students' Union website?
An AGM is a great way to reflect on your activities and plan for the year ahead. All clubs and societies should have an AGM, but all voting must be done through an online election facilitated by the Union.
If you won’t be hosting any elections or voting at your AGM, it doesn’t need to be quorate.
If you are voting at an AGM, it needs to be quorate and follow the guidance outlined on the Students’ Union website carefully. If the AGM is not quorate, the results of any votes cannot be accepted.
Your club or society can hold hustings at your AGM to allow candidates to answer questions on their manifestos. If your AGM is held during the elections window, your members will be able to vote on their phone or laptop during the meeting!
Remember you can have hustings at your AGM, or separate hustings on their own.- How can we make changes to our constitution?
Any change to a club or society constitution needs to be voted on by your members. Please submit the following webform with as much notice as you can:
https://studentsunionucl.org/forms/online-referendum-request-form
We’ll then set up an online referendum so your members can vote on the changes to your constitution.- Why is voting online instead of in-person?
The Leadership Race has been running for several years to elect Union sabbatical and part-time officers for the next academic year. For the last few years, club and society positions have also been elected using the same timeline, as well as through our online by-elections. This has greatly increased the turnout for club and society elections, meaning that more students have the opportunity to nominate themselves and vote (and you have a greater chance of finding your next committee). Last year, our Leadership Race was the largest Students’ Union election in the country, with 10,400 voters and 81,7941 ballots cast. Moreover, online elections ensure that the elections are as accessible as possible to all of your members.
Online elections achieve this in a number of ways:
- We use a fair and robust election system.
- Voting will be open for 5 days.
- You can vote on your phone or laptop, from wherever you are.
- There is no minimum quoracy requirement.
- The website automatically checks if someone is an enrolled student who has been a member of your group for at least 28 days.
You’re still very welcome to host an in-person AGM, but you cannot host your nominations and elections at your AGM. This is because it would not be feasible to host in-person nominations and voting and still ensure that all members have an equal opportunity to participate in the election. For instance, some members may not be able to attend and vote in-person. Additionally, there is no guarantee that your AGM will be held in line with Union regulations. Any breaches (such as alcohol being present) would result in the election needing to be re-run.- Is there a budget for campaign expenses for club and society positions?
Sabbatical officer candidates have a budget of £50 for their campaign, and part-time student officer candidates have a budget of £25 for their campaign. Club and society committee member candidates do not receive a budget for their campaign.