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SRC | Nominatons are now open!

How to guide - SRC Elections 2024

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Table of Contents

How to Nominate Yourself

Step 1: Decide on the role you want to run for

Choosing the right role is essential for making a significant impact. Consider your passions, skills, and the needs of the student body. Want to find out what roles are up for grabs? Have a look here: dusa.co.uk/elections/src

Step 2: Check you are eligible to run.

Read Byelaw 3 and please highlight to us ahead of time if you think you may not be eligible. We will carry out checks on each candidate, but it is helpful to know ahead of time. Each case will be reviewed by the ELC. If you’re unsure if you’re eligible, please email elections@dusa.co.uk  

Step 3: Complete the online nomination form.

Log into vote.dundee.ac.uk with your university credentials to complete the nomination form.

You can nominate yourself for a role up until 23rd Sep Monday 10am. On the nomination form you must provide: 

  1. Head and shoulders photo of you against a white background, head and shoulders only (passport photo style) – please upload to this vote.dundee.ac.uk, where you submitted your nomination.
  2. Please ensure your manifesto contains 3 policies (maximum) and does not exceed 150 words. Please upload to this vote.dundee.ac.uk. Your manifesto should be written in the following format:

· Introductory paragraph – introduce yourself and why you want to stand for election,

· Aims/objectives – talk about what you want to achieve,

· Policy statements – up to three short bullet-point statements (maximum) about what you are standing to do, if elected.

  1. In addition to this, you will need the names and student matriculation numbers of at least two current and fully matriculated UoD students who support your candidacy. Make sure you have those two students’ permission beforehand.
  2. The above information must be provided before nominations close. You will be unable to edit your manifesto, change your photo, or change the role you have applied for once nominations close.

Step 4: Screen advertisements

We encourage every candidate send us a screen advertisement to promote your campaign. It should include:

· Your name,
· Position you are running for,
· Your 3 policies (bullet-pointed).

Please note that this will be shown on the TVs around the building – as such, you will want to keep the amount of text on your screen ad brief but eye-catching. To help you design a screen poster you can use a number of platforms such as Canva: canva.com

Poster size: 1920x1080p (Standard HD Screen) – otherwise known as 16:9.

Please email this to elections@dusa.co.uk 

Step 5: Attend the Mandatory SRC Candidates Briefing

We will be running sessions throughout the campaigning period. The candidates briefing is mandatory for all candidates, and you will not be able to stand for a position without attending one of these sessions.  

Key Dates:

  • Nomination open 12th Sep Tuesday 9am 
  • Nomination Close 23rd Sep Monday 10am  
  • Voting open 24th Tuesday Sep 12pm 
  • Voting close 26th Sep Thursday 10pm 
  • Results 27th Sep Friday 6pm 

Mandatory Candidate information sessions

Session 1- Tuesday 17th from 12pm to 1pm in Dalhousie 1G05
You can join this session online: JOIN ONLINE

OR

Session 2- Monday 23rd from 5:30pm to 6:30 in Dalhousie 1G05

Key notes for candidates: 

  • All candidates must have attended a briefing before campaigning begins.  
  • All Candidates must attend and take part in the SRC Question time. 

All elected members must be available for Meet and greet – 1st of October 5:30-7:30  and SRC Training – 8TH of October 5:00 – 7:00pm 

  • Training will also be organised for the other elected positions. 

How do elections work?

All DUSA’s elections are run in accordance with a set of values and principles found in DUSA’s Byelaw 3. The values and principles ensure that any of our elections are ran in an open, fair, and democratic manner. This sets the standard for not only the candidate and their supporters, but also the decisions made by the Election Liaison Committee (ELC). 

Our Values: 

  • Democracy
  •  Fairness
  • Respect
  • Collaboration

 

 Our principles:  

All candidates or members of a campaign: 

  • Must treat other candidates, campaigners, students, staff, and members of the public with respect and fairness.
  • Must protect and respect the environment and property of the University campus.
  • Must not undertake acts which bring the election process, referendum, the Association, or the University into disrepute.
  • Must not undermine the values of Democracy, Fairness, Respect and Collaboration during an election or referendum.

The Election Liaison Committee

Each election is run by a dedicated group who work to ensure that the election is the best it can be. The ELC organises and coordinates each election. One of the most important functions of the ELC is to ensure that the elections are being run democratically and the Returning Officers (ROs) take on this task. The ROs are up to six senior members of the University of Dundee (UoD) and are led by a Senior Returning Officer (SRO). 

The RO’s are very experienced and will investigate serious issues and breaches of the rules. They will also make decisions if a candidate or candidates are found in breach of the rules.  

General Election Rules

The following rules are essential to the running elections, and we all candidates and their supporters must abide by them. If a candidate and/or their supporters are believed to be in breach of this guidance, it will be referred to the Returning Officers. 

  • All candidate campaigning and publicity (physical and online) must comply with the values and principles of the election. 
  • All rules of the Students’ Association and University still apply throughout the election period. 
  • Candidates will respect University and Students’ Association staff and property. 
  • No currently elected post-holder of the Students’ Association or Sports Union can endorse a candidate in their capacity as an elected officer. 
  • DUSA and University salaried employees/staff and workers must remain impartial and not endorse any candidate. 
  • DUSA, Institute of Sport and Exercise, the Library & Learning Centre, associated properties/facilities, Student Halls of Residence, and other designated areas are to remain campaigning free zones. 
  • All campaigning must take place on the main university campus and associated physical/virtual spaces of the University of Dundee and DUSA. 
  • All rules apply to candidates and their supporters. 

Election Material

  • To maintain more sustainable and environmentally friendly elections, there should be no physical flyers, posters, or banners used during campaigns. 
  • All candidates’ online and physical campaign should not contain or refer to offensive language/ and or images that promote hatred and/or criminal behaviour,  
  • All candidate’s publicity should not feature party political references or symbols/logos. 

Campaigning

Your campaigning will require innovation to make you stand out from the crowd. Votes need to be earned, and you will need to speak to students and really show why you deserve to be elected. We will cover the full ins and outs of this during the candidate’s briefing – there are a lot of rules associated with campaigning to keep things fair for every candidate running.  

  • Candidates cannot begin campaigning until they have attended the candidate briefing and voting has opened.  
  • All online campaigning must take place on official open and public forums – do not post on private groups or group chats. 
  • Candidates cannot provide an electronic device for students to vote or vote on behalf of another individual. Candidates must also not vote on the devices of other students. 
  • All candidates must email elections@dusa.co.uk to inform them of the social media platforms they intend to use and to add them as an admin to it where possible. 
  • All candidates should create a separate and new campaigning account on their social media platforms. 
  • Candidates cannot use official mailing lists/accounts and/or official positions associated with the University, Sports Union, Institute of Sport and Exercise or Students’ Association they have access to further personal or other campaigns. 
  • Student societies and sports union teams are not obligated to, but can on request, allow candidates to speak to members at formal meetings. If they choose to do so, they must allow all other candidates fair access to this meeting too. 

Complaints

All election candidates who wish to make a complaint must complete and submit an online complaints form, found on the DUSA website: www.dusa.co.uk/elections/complaints (this will be live during campaigning/voting). 

All complaints must be accompanied with: 

  • The name(s) of candidate(s)
  • Details of the alleged offence
  • What part of the rules & regulations, byelaws and/or policies of the Students’ Association and University of Dundee have been breached.
  • Provision of any evidence for the alleged offence 

 

On receipt of the complaint, it will be investigated by the ELC. If the initial investigating officers are unable to resolve the complaint, it will be passed to the on-duty Returning Officers. The Returning Officers will hear allegations of misconduct or breaches of the rules. Their decisions will be final and non-negotiable. If a candidate is found to have committed misconduct or a breach, then the potential actions are: 

  1. An informal warning
  2. A formal warning
  3. Formal action. Formal action may include disqualification, or any other action deemed necessary to address the misconduct or breach, determined by the ELC.

 

The decision will be based on the values and principles outlined in this guidance and the Byelaws and will require a simple majority of the Returning Officers. The Senior Returning Officer will have the casting vote. 
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