What happens during the Leadership Race?
The Leadership Race at the University of Staffordshire is the week-long election period where students get to choose their representatives and committee members for the year ahead.
These representatives include the full-time officers and Subject Reps given the responsibility to represent students' interests within the University and across the Students' Union. The Committee members are those students putting themselves forward to take on committee positions to lead student clubs and societies.
What can I expect as a student?
During the Leadership Race, the candidates for all the positions will want to reach out to students to convince them of why they deserve their vote for the position(s) they are running for.
This is known as campaigning.
This campaigning will use many different types of communication channels, from social media to posters, to lecture shout-outs, to campus stops and chats. Candidates will have produced manifestos which set out the principles/actions they intend to take forward if they are elected.
In addition, the Students' Union has created a digital space for students to find out about candidates. This includes the Leadership race section of the website that contains information on all the candidates, as well as Question and Answer sessions where you can see candidates answering questions on student issues.
This is an opportunity for students to find out who will be best placed to represent and shape the things that matter to them in the year ahead, before casting their vote.
(to find out how to vote digitally there is a separate article here).
Are there any rules for Candidates?
The principle we have for our election and campaigning is that all activity should be positive, fair, legal and safe.
We want candidates to go out and engage with students and talk to them about what matters and encourage them to vote. You can find our full rules and guidance in the 2024/5 Election Handbook, but there are a few key points outlined below.
The one principle that is extended from UK elections in general is that they must be free and fair. This means the following expectations: