You decide who leads CSU by voting in the people you feel best represents your interests. But how do our Elections work?
What makes CSU (and all Students’ Unions across the country) special is the fact that we are led by students just like you, chosen through an Election in which every student gets a vote.
What positions are there?
Every year in Spring you elect full-time Officers to represent you. In Autumn, you also elect part-time Officers.
Full-time Officers
There are three full-time roles: President, Vice President Education, and Vice President Student Life. They focus on improving the lives of students on everything from the academic experience to events.
Part-time Officers
There are several part-time Officer roles. They represent a certain community or demographic of the student body and help make decisions on policy, as well as hold the full-time Officers to account.
If elected as a full-time Officer, you would be paid a full-time salary for one year and work in the CSU building in Exton Park. Part-time Officers are voluntary positions.
Who can run for an Officer position?
Any current student (or full-time Officer) is eligible to run for Officer roles. If running for a full-time position, you must have been a student for 3 months before the election. If running for a part-time Officer position, you need to remain a student from the time of election until at least February of the following year, but ideally until the end of May.
Most of our full-time Officers are final-year students and become President or Vice President after completing their degree, but you can also interrupt your studies for a year to take on the role. If you do interrupt your studies, you can only do take on the position for one year. After you finish your degree, you may re-run and return for a second year if elected.
Full-time Officers can only do a maximum of two years in office (as outlined in the Education Act 1994). There are no restrictions for part-time Officers.
Why should you get involved?
Becoming a full-time Officer is a fantastic opportunity and a graduate job unlike any other.
As well as a salary and secure job for 12 months, you will:
- Get the chance to run activities, campaigns, and initiatives for the benefit of students.
- Change student lives for the better on issues and ideas you care about.
- Boost your CV and skillset in multiple areas, including leadership, communication, and advocacy – which will make you stand out to future employers.
Being a part-time Officer is also a very fulfilling, skill-boosting role. You’ll be helping shape the CSU, bringing student feedback to us and the University, and making change in the areas that interest you. You can also use us as your reference for future careers!
Elections timeline
Spring Elections
Our main Elections are held every Spring and are used to elect full-time Officers and Society Committee positions. Society elections are held separately to the Officer elections, and you will receive all the information you need about this from the Opportunities team.
Nominations for Officer positions are open for three weeks, where candidates submit their priorities, followed by 1-2 weeks of campaigning for votes. All students then vote for who they want to see in those roles. Officers elected in the Spring begin their year in office on the 1st July.
Autumn Elections
We hold Elections every Autumn term to fill part-time Officer positions.
Nominations are open for two weeks, where candidates submit their priorities, followed by a week of campaigning for votes. All students then vote for who they want to see in the roles. Officers elected in Autumn Elections start their roles immediately.
Keep an eye on your student email, our website and our social media pages for updates and announcements.
Our Voting System
Our voting system puts the power in the hands of the students, and ensures that they have the opportunity to vote for their favourite candidate, their second favourite candidate, and so on, until all of their votes have been used up.
We have had our voting system in place for a number of years, and it is the system preferred by National Union of Students because it is the most democratic. It is the only system under which every vote counts – basing the votes on the order of preference of each candidate.
Find out how it works in the video below.
Elections resources
If you’re thinking about running for an Officer position in the next election, get a head start by looking at the videos available to you. Before each election, we’ll also offer workshops and information sessions to give you a skills boost. You’ll find these on our Events page nearer the time.
If you have any questions about the Elections process or the roles, you can email csuelections@chester.ac.uk! More information will be available on our website and social media, as well as emailed to you, nearer the time of the Elections each year.
