Bye-Elections

CANDIDATE HAND

Inthishandbookyou’llfindeverythingyouneedto guideyouthroughtheelectionsprocessasa candidate. 02 09 03 10 05 11 06 12 07 ABOUTYOUR STUDENTS’UNION HOWTO CAMPAIGN THE ROLES CANDIDATE ESSENTIALS WHENVOTING OPENS WHATDOES THATMEAN? HOW VOTINGWORKS

ABOUTYOUR STUDENTS’UNION

We’reattheheartofstudentlifehereatHerts!We’reheretosupport studentsontheirjourney,makingsureit’sthebestitcanbe.

Weworkcloselywiththeunitoenrichthestudentexperience.Because we’reindependentfromtheuni,wecanrepresentstudentsandlobbyfor changeaccordingtostudentfeedback.Wealsoprovidestudentswith loadsofopportunitiesthatcomplementtheirstudiessotheycanmake friendsforlife,createlife-longmemoriesanddeveloptheirtransferable skills.OurAdvice&Supportteamarealsoonhandtohelpstudentswith anythingthatmaybetroublingthem.

We’reproudtobeledbyourElectedOfficersandstudentleaderswho ensurestudents’bestinterestsareattheforefrontofwhatwedo.Elections givestudentsanexcitingchancetodeterminewhotheirnewElected Officerteamwillbe,meaningtheycanhelptoshapethefutureofHerts.

THEROLES ANOVERVIEW

BLACKSTUDENTS’OFFICER

You’llbethelead representativeforBlack studentsatHerts

Yourkeyfocuswillbehelping ustoremovebarriersand increaseengagement

COMMUTINGSTUDENTS’OFFICER

You’llhelpustounderstand thechallengesfacedby studentsthattraveltouni

Yourkeyfocuswillbetohelp usmakeimprovementsfor commutingstudents

DISABLEDSTUDENTS’OFFICER

You’llbethelead representativefordisabled studentsatHerts

You’llbekeyinhelpingusto makeunimoreinclusive& accessible

INTERNATIONALSTUDENTS’ OFFICER

You’llbethelead representativeforour internationalstudents

You’llhelpustoensurethey havethesupporttheyneed duringtheirtimeatHerts

MATURESTUDENTS’OFFICER

You’llbethelead representativeforourmature studentpopulation

You’llpavethewayin makingimprovementsfor thematurestudent experience

VOTINGISOPENON

TUESDAY5THNOVEMBER&WEDNESDAY6THNOVEMBER

VOTINGONCAMPUS

TUESDAY’SPOLLINGSTATIONWILLBEAT

WEDNESDAY’SPOLLINGSTATIONWILLBEAT

HOWVOTINGWORKS

AllUniofHertsstudentsareinvitedtoexercisetheirdemocratic rightandvotefortheirnewElectedOfficerteam.TheAlternative TransferableVotingsystemmeansstudentscanletusknowwho theirfavouritecandidatesareinorderofpreference.

Oncethevotingperiodhasconcluded,we’llcounttheelectionand returntheresults.TheresultswillbeannouncedatResultsNight onFriday8thMarch.

PleasenotethatHICstudentsarenotabletovoteintheelections.

COMPLAINTS

Sometimeselectionsdon’truncompletelysmoothly.Ifyoubelieve ruleshavebeenbrokenbyanothercandidateandwishtomakea complaint,pleasecompleteouronlineformat hertssu.com/complaints.

RULESAND REGULATIONS

To make sure our elections are fair, we have a number of rules that candidates must follow. As a candidate, you must ensure you’re familiar with the full Rules and Regulations - and abide by them-throughouttheelectionsprocess.

BEHAVIOUR

OfficersatHertsSUarestudent leadersandanystudents campaigningforanyofthe leadershippositionsare expectedtobehave accordingly.Thismeans treatingstudentvoters,fellow candidates,UniversityandHerts SUstaffwithrespect.

Theremustbeno‘negative campaigning’.Thisincludes,but isnotlimitedto,makingattacks ofapersonalorcampaign natureagainstother candidates.

Candidatesmustnot discriminateagainstany religious,politicaland/orethnic groupsorgendersduringtheir campaign.Thistypeof behaviourwillnotbetolerated andwillbedealtwithvery seriouslyinaccordancewith theUniversity’sdisciplinary procedures.

CAMPAIGNMATERIALS

Candidatesmustnot incorporateHertsSUlogoor brandinginanyoftheir campaignmaterials. Campaignmaterialsmustbe approvedbyHertsSUpriorto thecommencementofthe votingperiodandcannotbe useduntilapprovedinwriting, byemailfrom elections@hertssu.com.

CAMPAIGNINGACTIVITYAND ENDORSEMENTS

Everymobiledeviceisconsidered apollingstationandwillbe treatedassuch.

Candidatesarenotallowed touseanyoftheirpersonal electronicdevicessuchasa mobilephone,iPadorlaptopfor thepurposeofallowingother studentstovote.

Candidatesarenotallowed tohandleastudents’mobile device(thisincludesscrollingor directingthemtocastavote).

ImproperuseofWhatsApp Groups,includingmessaging individualmembersofgroups andaskingthemtovote,isin breachofGDPRregulations andcouldresultinelections sanctions(uptoandincluding removalfromtheelections)could resultinpotentialfinesand penaltiesfromtheInformation Commissioner’sOffice(ico.org. uk).

COMPLAINTS

ComplaintsabouttheStudents’ Union’sElectionsaresubject toourComplaintsProcedure.The deadlineforsubmitting complaintsisonehourafter votingcloses.

Pleasenotethatthisisonlyabrief overviewoftherules.Youwillneedto familiariseyourselfwiththefullRules andRegulationsdocumentwhichyou canfindathertssu.com/elections.

Nocurrentorformerstudent leaderorstudentgroup affiliatedwithHertsSUor HertSquadmayendorseany candidate.

Nocandidatemayuseany resourcesmadeavailableto themthroughpositionsof responsibilitywithinHertsSUor University(e.g.society positions)toactivelyadvertise theircampaignbutmay continuetoserveintheirrole duringtheelections.

Candidatesmustnot campaigninHertsSUofficesor meetings.

HOWTOCAMPAIGN

Thekeytoasuccessfulelectionforacandidateisastrong campaign.Hereareourtoptips!

YOURCAMPAIGN

Buildabrandthatissimplebut eye-catching.

Thinkoutsidethebox!Every candidatehasthesamebudget andmustcampaignwithinthe rules,butwhatcouldyoudoto standoutfromthecrowd?Go boldsothatstudentvoterswon’t missyou.

Talktostudentsaboutwhyyou’re runningandwhytheyshould voteforyou.Voterswanttoknow whoyouareandwhatyoustand for.Makesureyou’retalking passionatelyandtruthfullywhen campaigning. Planyourtimewellinadvance. Campaigningshouldn’ttakeover yourlifeanddefinitelyshouldn’t stopyoufromattendingyour lectures.

Makesurethestudentsyou speakwithknowhowtovote. Don’tforgetthatyouwant studentstoputyouastheirfirst preference,ortheirsecond preferenceifthey’vealready madeuptheirmindabouttheir firstchoice.

QUESTIONS BUDGET

Thinkabouttheissuesthatyou’d liketochangeintheUniversity, yourSchoolofStudyorthe widercommunity.Whatareyou passionateaboutandhowcan youusethatdeterminationto improvethestudentexperience?

Asacandidateyou’llbereimbursed forlegitimatecampaignexpenses. Candidatesrunningforapart-time positioncanspendupto£10.Be carefulnottoexceedyourbudgetas wecana)onlyreimburseyouthat amountandb)overspendisagainst therulessoyouwouldbesubjectto disciplinaryaction. Haveachatwithyourfriendsand coursematestoseewhat changesthey’dliketoseeatuni. Onceyou’vedoneyourresearch, pick3or4issuesthatyoucan relateto.Howcouldyouresolve these?Makesureyourthinkingis ambitiousbutrealistic.

Whoareyou?Whyshould studentstrustyouastheir representative?Makesureyour personalityiscomingthroughas partofyourcampaign.

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

BALLOT

Asystemofvotinganonymously.

BYE-ELECTION

Anelectionthat’sheldwhen vacanciesbecomeavailable duringtheyear.

CAMPAIGNING

Aseriesofactivitiesusedtoraise theprofileofacandidate, encouragingvoterstovote favourablyforthem.

CANDIDATE

Apersonrunningintheelection.

CANDIDATEDEBRIEF

Anopendiscussionwhere candidatescangivetheir feedbackabouttheirelections experience.

CANDIDATEMANIFESTO

Adocumentcandidatesmust completetoletstudentsknowwhy they’rerunningintheelectionand whystudentsshouldvotefor them.Everycandidatewillgeta CandidateProfilepublishedonthe website.

CANDIDATESUPPORTSESSIONS

Acompulsory,miniconferencestyle eventforallcandidates.Candidates willlearnabouttheelections process,begivenguidanceabout campaigningandhavethechance toaskanyquestions.You’llalsobe abletominglewiththeother candidateswhoyou’llbesharing thisexperiencewith!

NOMINATION

Formallyenteringanelectionasa candidate.

POLLINGSTATION

Locatedoncampus,thesegive studentstheopportunitytovoteinperson.

RESULTS

Theoutcomeofanelection.

SINGLETRANSFERABLEVOTING

VOTING

Avotingprocesswhichletsyourank candidatesinyourorderof preference,enablingvoterstosay whothey’dliketowiniftheirfirst(or second,third...)choiceiseliminated fromthecount. Theprocesswherebystudentscan selecttheirfavouritecandidates.

KEYDATES NOMINATIONS

Monday28thOctober(12:00)-Monday4thNovember(12:00)

CANDIDATESUPPORTSESSIONS

Monday4thNovember(15:00-17:00)

Tuesday5thNovember&Wednesday6thNovember