Frequently Asked Questions

We know that our elections can be a little confusing, that's why we work hard to make sure that you can understand the importance of getting involved, and ultimately make the decisions when voting that best reflect your opinions.

To help with this, we’ve put together some frequently asked questions from our elections period, which you can find below. If you have a question that is not included below and would like to know more, do not hesitate to get in touch with a member of the team at elections@solent.ac.uk.

To see the full Solent Election rules, please click here .

Elections

What are elections at Solent Students' Union?

Voting is one of the best ways for students to have their voice heard at Solent University.

Our elections give students a unique opportunity to represent your peers and bring about the changes you'd like to see at your university, standing in a student election and becoming a Students' Union officer can significantly boost your career.

Who can run in elections?

All current students* are able to run and vote in a variety of elections throughout their time at Solent University.

*However, if you have already completed two years in a Sabbatical Officer, you cannot rerun in elections for a Sabbatical Officer position, but you can run to be a Part-Time Officer if you are continuing your studies at Solent University.

Associate members are not eligible to stand or vote in the elections.

Our applications have now closed for our Solent Elections 2024, however voting will open on Monday 11th March at 10am. You can cast your vote here! Voting closes on Friday 15th March at 3pm - don't miss out!

What are Sabbatical Officers?

Sabbatical Officers are four students who take a year out of their studies to work full time in the Students’ Union representing you at Solent University and in the wider community. You can meet our current Sabbatical Officers here.

What are Part-Time Officers?

Part-Time Officer positions are unpaid roles withing Solent Students' Union. Part-Time Officers work to proactively represent the rights of the students in their specific student groups. They ensure that the Students’ Union as a whole takes the views and needs of these students into account, and undertake projects and campaigns to support their student groups.

The role’s time commitment varies according to how much students wish to commit. As an estimate, it could be anywhere from one to five hours a week. Part-time officers hold unpaid elected positions and continue with their studies during their time in office.

Both those who are elected as Volunteer Officers and Sabbatical Officers are representatives for your student voice and act on your behalf in the Union, University and wider community fighting for you on an institutional, local and national level.

Applying for the role

Why would I want to run in Solent Students’ Union elections?

Drive change: First and foremost, elected students have the ability to drive change. By leading campaigns or organising events, you can steer the direction of your society or wider university, and advance the causes that you and your peers believe in. Every individual will have a different set of skills they can bring to each role.
Employability: All of our positions also help to boost your employability prospects and with the competition for jobs becoming even tougher once you’ve graduated, standing in one of these roles can set you apart from the rest. The experience you'll gain will look great on your CV and you'll be able to use relevant examples from your time in office to back up skills in your cover letter and at interview. Tasks such as managing budgets and running effective meetings develop qualities desired by employers, such as drive, leadership, influencing, multitasking, organising, communication and negotiating. Having to make decisions that may be unpopular with your peers also enhances resilience.
Senior roles: Involvement extends to wider university matters for those in more senior roles. Sabbatical officers sit on major committees with the vice-chancellor and the senior team - providing an invaluable insight into the higher education sector. You really get to understand what the university does and see how it works from the inside.
Engagement and understanding: Taking a more active role also allows you to interact with students from a variety of different backgrounds and this can result in strong, long-lasting friendships. You'll work with a diverse range of people, including academics, university senior management, university staff, union staff, the wider community and importantly, the eclectic make-up of students.

How do I apply for a role?

Please note: Applications are now closed for the Solent Elections 2024/25.

You can apply for the role through the SU website by clicking here, or following the steps below:

Log into the SU website
Click here to a pply for a role or go to the Student Voice drop down menu, click SU Elections and go to the Apply here tab, or click the button on the SU Elections page.
Follow the instructions provided by the application platform.
You will be asked to upload a photo (optional) and a manifesto, so please make sure you have both to hand.
Finalise the form and press submit/send.
ANNNNND you're done! :)

What if someone I know is already running?

It absolutely does not matter. Do not let someone that you know is running be a deterrent from you standing. Our Sabbatical Officer positions are once in a lifetime opportunity and you do not want to look back regretting that you didn’t stand because someone you knew was also standing.

Do I need any experience to run in elections?

Nope! When standing for one of our student leadership positions, we will provide you with all of the necessary information and resources in order to make sure you’ve got everything you need to have the best possible chance of success.

If you have any questions throughout the application and election periods, you can always touch base with someone from our Membership Team and they will be more than happy to help.

Our Membership Team will also be in regular contact with you throughout these periods and will regularly provide you with key information meaning you’re constantly up to date.

When is the deadline for putting myself forward?

Please note: Applications are now closed for the Solent Elections 2024/25.

Applications for this years Solent Elections opens on Friday 9th February at 10am and close Tuesday 5th March at 12pm. Make sure you don’t leave it too late!

Who can I speak to if I’m interested in running in the elections?

Just pop into the Solent Students’ Union office, next to the East Park Deli in The Spark and ask to speak to someone from the Membership Team. Alternatively, you can email elections@solent.ac.uk or visit www.solentsu.co.uk/studentvoice/suelections to find out more information about any of the roles available, how to apply or any general queries.

Voting

How do I vote?

Voting week starts from Monday 11th March at 10am to Friday 15th March at 3pm.

Voting can be cast both online and in-person at a polling station. Polling stations can be found near our election events.

To view our full list of election events, please click here. All our election events are free.

To vote online, please click here.

All voting will be available 24/7 online and from 10am to 4pm on physical polling stations during the elections period.

Why is it important that I vote?

Every vote counts! We have a relatively small number of votes every year, but we're hoping to increase this number as time goes on as we need to hear from as many students as possible about what change YOU want to see at Solent University.

That means your vote really does matter! Try to spend a few minutes researching the candidates, which you can do so here, selecting Sabbatical and Part-Time Officers who will be effective and work on things you think are a priority can really change your university experience for the better.

What roles can I vote for?

Our Solent Elections 2024/25 revolve around our Sabbatical Officer and Volunteer Officer positions. These are:

Union President (Sabbatical role)
VP Communitites and Wellbeing (Sabbatical role)
VP Education (Sabbatical role)
Disabilties Students' Officer (Part-Time role)
International Students' Officer (Part-Time role)
Postgraduate Students' Officer (Part-Time role)

Can I vote for more than one person?

Here at Solent Students' Union, we use the Alternative Voting system (AV). With AV, the voter puts a number by each candidate, with one for their favourite, two for their second favourite and so on. Voters can put numbers on as many or as few as they wish.

A candidate will be elected if more than half the voters put them down as their favourite. If nobody gets half, the numbers provide instructions for where you want your vote to go if your favourite candidate cannot win. The candidate who came last is eliminated and the counters look at these instructions to move the votes of the people who voted for them to their second favourite candidate. This process continues until one candidate has half of the votes and is elected.

AV is used in elections that have one post available. All our elections, both for Volunteer and Sabbatical officers, have one position each.

Can I vote in person?

Yes! We have previously opporated through an online voting system only, however we have now moving to a hybrid-model of both online and in person voting.

You can cast your vote in person at any of our election events (more details coming on these soon!) and at one of our polling stations.

You can vote online here, or at one of our many events through one of our voting devices. It takes seconds to fill in, so no time at all!

A full timetable of events will be coming soon for our Autumn elections!

Candidates

Who or what is RON?

You may see the term RON during the election, it stands for Re-Open Nominations. You can select this option during the election if you feel that some or none of the candidates are suitable for the role. If that’s what you feel then you can position your RON vote ahead of those you feel aren’t suitable for the post. If Re-Open Nominations wins the election, that means that nobody gets elected and we re-run an election at the next convenient opportunity to fill the position.

I’m running for a position in the election, can I vote for myself?

Of course you can! You’re a student first, a candidate second. All students are entitled to vote, your candidacy doesn’t change that.

FAQs