Agenda Election Processes Regulations Expenses How Voting Works Campaign Advice Timeline Questions

Election Processes Administration is handled by Rebecca Davies, Democratic Support Co-ordinator. Day-to-day decisions are made by Craig Lithgow, CEO and Deputy Returning Officer, who may refer matters to Elections & Referenda Committee Elections & Referenda Committee meet daily to make judgements on questions and complaints The Returning Officer has the final say on any issues referred upwards by the Elections & Referenda Committee or candidates

THE RULES All of our elections within the Union are overseen by the Elections and Referenda committee (ERC) ERC is responsible for ensuring the “free and fair” conduct of these elections Destroying, defacing or removing other candidates publicity Campaigning in the computer rooms or in the library/ Bannerman centre Making comments which are deemed negative or abusive against another candidate or member of a campaign team. Using your current position of authority or power to access information (including communications routes) which are not freely available to other candidates. The rules can be found in full at: rules/

Providing gifts, freebies or preferential access to events or activities (or any other acti on which may be interpreted as bribery) Seeking to gain advantage by breaching the set timetable for the elections Spending more money on their campaign than is permitted Actions which may be perceived as bullying or intimidating any other candidate, campaigner or student Using Union hosted sites or Union meetings to promote an election candidate Using external hosted sites that are linked to UBS groups to promote a candidate

COMPLAINTS Complaints regarding the conduct of any candidate’s campaign must be submitted, in writing to ERC via Rebecca Davies. Complaints about campaigning need to be received prior to the count

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Expenses Student Officer positions have £100 to spend plus £20 print credits at the Union; Student Trustee, Senior rep, Standing Committee Chair, and Working Group Chair positions have £30 to spend plus £20 print credits at the Union; The Union will not cover any of your costs except the £20 print credit for printing done at the Union; Keep all receipts and submit them with your Expenses Form;

Expenses List everything that you use, even if you already owned it or were given it for free, on your Expenses Form; The Elections & Referenda Committee will apply a nominal value to any item that you used in your campaign but for which you did not submit a receipt: –For example, if you make a banner using a sheet that you already own then you need to list it on your Expenses Form. The Elections & Referenda Committee will then consider how much a cheap sheet costs (e.g. if bought from a charity shop) and apply that price (e.g. approx. £3). Don’t forget, you also need to include the cost of the paint for the banner!

How Voting Works We use the Alternative Vote system Voters rank their candidates in order of preference If a candidate receives over quota of the “first preference” votes they are elected immediately If no candidate receives more than quota of the “first preference” votes then the candidate with the least votes is eliminated and their “second preferences” are redistributed to the other candidates If any of the candidates has received more than quota of the votes they are elected If no candidate has more than quota of the votes then the above process is repeated: the candidate with the second-least votes is eliminated and their “third preferences” votes are redistributed. Video from UWESU explaining voting:

Campaign Advice Get a team of people to help you and register them with UBS Register your slate if you are running on one by informing UBS Come up with innovative ideas and interesting ways to get voters’ attention and make them remember you Check that all ideas are allowed by contacting the Deputy or Assistant Deputy Returning Officer Make sure you have publicity with a brief outline of your ideas and policies to complement your manifesto Talk to as many people as possible Campaign positively, not just for the rules but also because it’s more effective Keep a good record of your expenses

Campaign Advice

Social Media

Allowed Publicity Locations Hamilton Centre hallways Wall behind the pool table and access ramp Areas clearly marked and designated in academy

Allowed Publicity Locations Lecture centre external pillars Internal pillars External non moving glass on the lift shaft 1 st floor vending area Windows of ground floor computer room Stairwells

Allowed Publicity Locations John crank – external non glass panels and windows in glazed walkway facing the quad Outside the Bannerman centre of pillars

Out-of-Bounds Publicity Locations Fire Doors Lecture centre ground floor foyer glass Any where in Bannerman centre including the library

Out-of-Bounds Publicity Locations Toilets External glass areas of Hamilton centre Nowhere in atrium Mezz Social kitchen

More on publicity If you submit two pieces of publicity to the Democratic Support coordinator UBS will arrange for them to be placed: In the library Indoor Athletics centre

SLATES You may wish to run as a state – this is when you form a group with other candidates. You must register your slate by the start of campaigning by ing Rebecca Davies. If you run as a slate you are liable for each others actions

THE TIMELINE Start of campaigning – Wednesday 12 th March, 8pm Video Manifesto Sessions – Tuesday 11 th March – Thursday 13 th March Question Time – Monday 17 th March, 6pm, Academy President, Vice President Community Welfare, RAG Chair, Societies Guild Chair, Media Chair, Sports Federation Chair & Senior Reps Question Time –Tuesday 18 th March, 6pm, Academy Vice President Academic Representation, Vice President Student Activities, Campaigns Chair, Equality and Diversity Chair, Volunteering Chair, Environmental Chair, World Students Chair, Student Trustee, Student Assembly Chair Voting – Wednesday 19 th March, Midday – Friday 21 st March, 4pm Results – Friday 21 st March, 8pm, Academy Ensure you attend both the campaigns briefing and candidates briefing to run in the elections – this includes handing in a Campaign Plan

Questions