NUIGSU Election Booklet 2022

Running a Campaign To be successful in an election you will need to convince the electorate that you are the best person for the job, and that you understand students and will represent them on issues that matter to them.

Make sure you are aware of current Covid-19 health guidelines, particularly in relation to social distancing requirements and good practice if distributing physical promotional material Timing Your election campaign starts the minute you make the decision to run. Don’t waste time – tell your friends that you’re running and start planning. Although printed material is not allowed to be distributed before 6:00pm on Sunday 30th February, there is lots you can do online. But be careful. If you start your general promotion too early you might lose momentum before election day. There is also the challenge of keeping your message fresh so voters don’t get tired of you. But don’t leave it too late either!

Campaign Team To run a good campaign it is advisable that you get a team together to support you. Your team will provide valuable support to you during the election week.

Ask your friends to give you a few hours support and arrange times that suit them. Some people might not want to help with canvassing, but they might be able to help with postering. Get whatever help you can! The more people you can communicate with, the better chance you will have. Ask one of your friends to be your Campaign Manager. It will be their job to handle logistics and manage your campaign team.

Manifesto Your manifesto outlines your policies, plans and ideas for what you would do if elected. Talk to your friends and classmates about what they would like to see the Students’ Union do. Think about what your plans are and how you would go about implementing them. You don’t need to think of all the details, but it’s probably best to avoid promising everything without having some thought behind your ideas. Don’t let anybody talk you out of an idea that you think is worthwhile and doable. Your manifesto should be exciting and should set your goals for the year, not your first day. Above all, make sure your manifesto is relevant to students.

Your manifesto should also include something about yourself and why you are the best person for the position you are seeking. Include a photo so people know who you are. For consistency, it is a good idea to use the same photo that will appear on the ballot paper.

Speak to Students Talking to students is the number one method for convincing them to vote for you.

Posters, flyers, t-shirts and gimmicks will only do so much. You need to get out and canvass voters. Most election candidates will tell you it’s the hardest part of an election, but it’s also the most important part. Take some time to think about what you want to say to voters. The most obvious question you’ll be asked is why anybody should vote for you, so make sure you have an answer ready.

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