Election Information & FAQ
Who can be an elected Officer?
What positions are available in this election?
What are the benefits and responsibilities of these elected positions?
What is it like to run in an election?
How can I nominate myself in this election?
How do I vote in the election?
Who can be an elected Officer?
You are eligible to nominate yourself to become an elected officer as long as you are currently registered as a student of the University of Winchester and have not elected to 'opt-out' of the Students' Union.
Our definition of 'student' in regards to membership is:
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Registered University of Winchester full-time undergraduates
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Registered University of Winchester full-time visiting and exchange students
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Registered University of Winchester full-time postgraduates
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Students on University of Winchester foundation degrees
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University of Winchester undergraduates on their year abroad
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Registered University of Winchester part-time students
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Registered University of Winchester distance learners
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Elected Officers during their time in office
To be eligible to fulfill the role of a Sabbatical Officer (also known as Officer Trustee), you must be able fulfill full-time hours (subject to the Students' Union's standard terms & conditions of employment) during the term of office for which you are being elected, and be both legally entitled to work in the UK and to hold the office of a Trustee.
To be eligible to fulfill the role of a part-time Student Officer, you must remain a registered student during the term of office for which you are being elected.
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Part-time (voluntary) Student Officers are responsible for: promoting and defending the rights of members, campaigning on issues affecting members, and the implementation of Students' Union policy.
Full-time (paid, circa £26,119 p/a salary) Sabbatical Officers (also known as Officer Trustees) have a wider remit, including the above, and undertake their work representing students and leading the Students' Union as a full-time job. We would strongly suggest that you read the Union's Articles of Association and Paper – Executive Officers: Role and Responsibilities before standing for one of these full-time positions.
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What positions are available in this election?
There are a number of positions available in the Officer Elections.
Student Officers are part-time and these postions are suitable for any current student of the University who will remain a student in the 2025/26 academic year.
Sabbatical Officers (also known as Officer Trustees) are full-time, and are also paid staff positions of the Union. In addition, these full-time officer posts are also Trustees and Directors of the Union, which means they are, alongside the other trustees and directors, collectively legally responsible for all of our activities, and make decisions about long term strategy. These are only suitable for students who are graduating at the end of this academic year (or are prepared to take a full year out of their studies).
In the Officer Elections, there are 8 Officer positions (1x President, 2x Vice Presidents, 5x Student Officers), who collectively make up the Union's Executive Committee. See below for more information about each position:
Students' Union President - Full time, circa £26,119 per annum salary
The Sabbatical Officer with overall responsibility for representing Winchester Students' Union.
The Students' Union President is also an Officer Trustee and full-time employee of Winchester Students' Union during their term of office.
Email queries about this post to: su_pres@winchester.ac.uk
Vice President, Education & Welfare - Full time, circa £26,119 per annum salary
The Sabbatical Officer with responsibility for representing students as learners and ensuring the wellbeing of our members.
The Vice President, Education & Welfare is also a full-time employee and Officer Trustee of Winchester Students' Union during their term of office.
Email queries about this post to: su_education@winchester.ac.uk
Vice President, Activities & Commercial - Full time, circa £26,119 per annum salary
The Sabbatical Officer with responsibility for promoting social participation and development opportunities, alongside overseeing our commercial service provision.
The Vice President, Activities & Commercial is also an Officer Trustee and full-time employee of Winchester Students' Union during their term of office.
Email queries about this post to: suactivities@winchester.ac.uk
Student Officer x 5 - Part time (voluntary, for current students)
The officers with individual and collective responsibility for ensuring the Union remains focused on representing the needs of its members. Student Officers also shape the campaign work of the Union across areas as diverse as environment, community, housing and the needs of specific student groups.
Email queries about these posts to: su_pres@winchester.ac.uk
If you are unsure as to which position might suit you best, feel free to email a current Officer or suelection@winchester.ac.uk
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What are the benefits and responsibilities of these elected positions?
The benefits
As well as the chance to make a real difference to the lives of students at Winchester, there are a number of amazing personal benefits to being an Elected Officer;
Full-time positions (Sabbatical Officers)
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The once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to run and direct a large organisation with an annual turnover of £1 million+, and a membership of circa 7000 students
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Exceptional practical and professional experience leading a charitable organisation and working in the Higher Education sector which sends you leaps and bounds up the career ladder in comparison to other recent graduates, invaluable for any future career.
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A plethora of training, development, mentoring and coaching opportunities to develop your transferable skills.
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A salary of around £26,119 per year
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28 days holiday plus Union/University closure days (usually an additional 5-8 days)
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We can write references, (e.g. for job applications), for students who are or have been elected officers. Just contact us if you'd like a reference.
Part-time positions
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The once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to help run and direct a large organisation with an annual turnover of £1 million+, and a membership of circa. 7000 students
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Develop your skills in areas such as project management, planning and running a campaign, and advocacy
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Contribute to improving the Students' Union and University for current and future students
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Training and support to help you carry out your role
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We can write references, (e.g. for job applications), for students who are or have been elected officers.
The responsibilities
Could you be the voice for thousands of students?
You should be aware from the outset that standing for one of these elected positions should not be done lightly. Yes, it will look great on your CV and yes, you will learn and experience a whole raft of new things whist having some fun, but (and it’s a big but) the roles come with a great deal of responsibility and commitment, particularly to those who vote for you; our student members.
Full-time positions (Sabbatical Officers)
Whilst being a full-time Officer is an exciting opportunity, it also brings with it the need for responsibility and a commitment to:
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Working around a typical 9am-5pm working day, Monday to Friday, though with a capacity to be flexible with your hours. As a Sabbatical Officer you're likely to have to work some evenings and weekends
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Attending Students' Union, and University, meetings that are relevant to your post
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Working co-operatively with your fellow Officers and Students' Union employed staff
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Being a Trustee and Director: the Students' Union has a Board of Directors, who are also our charity Trustees. As a Sabbatical Officer you will, collectively, be legally responsible for the governance, finance, strategy, general control and management of the administration of the Union via this Board. There are also legal restrictions barring certain people from being a Trustee.
The responsibilities of full-time officers are set down in the Union's Articles of Association, and bye-laws, and are further explained in our election packs. These documents give both the key responsibilities common to all full-time officer roles, and those appropriate to the particular post you're interested in.
Part-time positions
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Attending Students' Union, and University, meetings that are relevant to your post (if applicable)
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Working co-operatively with other officers, staff and volunteers
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Fulfilling various responsibilities related to your representative post
The responsibilities of part-time officers are set down in the Union's constitution, and bye-laws. These documents give both the key responsibilities common to all part-time officer roles, and those of the elected Student Officers.
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What is it like to run in an election?
One of the Union's previous Elected Officers shares their experiences and thoughts about elections and being a Student Officer:
Why get involved with the Union?
"The Students' Union is an awesome organisation to be a part of and being part of the Exec Committee really gives you the opportunity to understand the cogs and how everything runs behind the scenes so to speak. Amongst other skills, being on Exec will improve your confidence, time management, organisation, planning abilities and team work. It is a real opportunity to implement any ideas and plans you have".
Why run for election?
"I decided to run because I wanted to get involved more with the Students' Union. Being a Student Officer appealed to me as a new challenge and an opportunity to implement ideas and passions I have concerning my specific portfolio. The nature of the role was something I felt I could offer as well as the ability to pursue campaign ideas and address students".
What was running like?
"Running in the elections themselves is a great experience – the process can be tiring and involve some hurdles to overcome, however the adrenaline gets you through and it’s so much fun; it was unlike any other challenge I’ve ever taken part in before. The process starts by completeing your nomination online, then a Candidate Briefing happens once nominations have closed, where you find out who is running and all the guidelines for campaigning and regulations are given out and explained".
What was campaigning like?
"Everyone has their own plan of how they want to campaign but most will produce posters/leaflets, maybe videos or blogs. That week was busy, most spent a lot of time campaigning, talking to students on campus, going door to door around halls and speaking to sports teams, societies and networks to round up support. It is so important to get the buzz about voting around campus. Nothing can really prepare you for the madness of the campaign period but you will get from it what you put in; I met so many people during this time and made friends that I might have never had the chance to meet. I would encourage you to speak to the other candidates across all the roles, there is a great sense of unity".
What if you don’t win?
"I am loving being on the Exec Committee, it is hugely rewarding and has provided me with great experiences to take with me following graduation, but even if I didn't win, I still would have been glad that I ran for the role. You gain so many skills throughout the process, and gain knowledge about the Union and University, you might never have known. Yes, I would have been disappointed, but that doesn't change the fact that running for a Student Officer role is a reward all on its own.
So go for it, what do you have to lose? There is no time for what-ifs!"
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How can I nominate myself in this election?
The nomination process in this election is undertaken online via this website - full details on how to nominate yourself can be found in the nomination section of the site.
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Running for any elected position will involve you getting your name out to the people who are going to vote, and explaining to them why you would be the best candidate to vote for. The process of campaigning will be covered in depth if you formally put your name forward for nomination, but what follows is some basic information about running a good campaign as food for thought. Please note that under our election regulations you are not able to promote your candidacy or campaign for votes until the campaign period begins (for the Officer Elections 2025, campaigning is allowed from 9am on Monday 3rd March 2025).
Plan a campaign you can manage
Our best campaign tip for you is to remember that there are no guarantees when it comes to elections. You should plan your campaign in a way that feels manageable and best suited to you. Don't feel you have to do the same things as other candidates; just whatever you think will best help you persuade people to vote for you.
Play fair
The most important thing to remember about campaigning is to concentrate on why you are the best candidate, and not on why you are better than other candidates. Focus on your strengths and aptitude and not the weakness of anyone else standing for election. This will promote a fair and equitable campaign period that reflects the strengths of each candidate in a positive and constructive way.
Manifestos
A manifesto is a written brief that you publicly release that outlines why you are standing for election, what you want to achieve, and why students should vote for you. We've got lots of information about topics you could include in your manifesto and campaign. Using current issues relevant to students is a good way to make your campaign resonate with voters.
You can use up to 500 words to create your manifesto. This will appear in and around the Union and on our website during the campaigning & voting period.
500 words isn't a lot so try to focus on your key points and make it easy for voters to read. You can use as many words as you want for other things you do, e.g.. printed materials, Facebook or videos.
Do your research, and try to be realistic with your manifesto promises. That is not say you can't be ambitious, but try not to make pledges that you haven't researched and assessed the practicality of first. You may be held accountable by our members for promises you make but can't or don't keep!
You can check out previous candidates' manifestos below:
Think about who you're targeting
The Winchester student body is incredibly diverse, e.g. mature/commuting students, sports club members, student parents, international students, students who work for the Students' Union, students who live on campus; the list goes on. You could think about how different issues and/or messages might be of interest to different students.
Campaign rules
We issue rules for each set of election regulations which you must adhere to. They are based around these principles;
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Only do what others can do, and respect students and other candidates, i.e. play fair and play nice
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The Returning Officer (RO) and Deputy Returning Officer (DRO) of the elections set and implement the rules for the elections. They will make decisions about other situations that arise during the elections which aren't otherwise covered by the rules.
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Make sure you stick within any limits imposed upon you for campaigning for publicity materials.
Managing your campaign
Planning ahead and asking friends to help you out (with your campaign, studies, or just keeping you motivated) will help make your campaign manageable.
Balancing your campaign and your studies
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While it does depend on how much energy and effort you decide to put into your campaign, it is possible that you might miss some study time. Therefore it is best to prepare in advance, so that you don’t get too left behind. Running in the election is not an excuse to miss lectures.
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If you miss any lecturers (which we don’t advise that you do), check canvas for notes, and consider asking a friend on your course if they can pick up extra handouts for you.
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If people are helping you campaign, you can make sure they are there to cover you while you attend a lecture/seminar
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Don’t completely neglect your studies, maybe try to fit in some reading
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Consider use of the University's Extenuating Circumstances Policy, as applicable
Staying healthy
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Make a big batch of food (stew/pasta sauce/soup) before the start of the campaigning period and freeze it so that you have easy food to come home to after a busy day (generous helpful housemates are useful here!)
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Make sure you make time to eat during the day and to relax, the Terrace Bar is good for this (when you're not campaigning).
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Get a good amount of sleep, it's important not to burn out
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Wear suitable clothes to keep you warm/cool/dry
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Get a good amount of sleep
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Try to maintain a healthy diet
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Look after yourself and your wellbeing. Elections can be stressful, so taking time for self-care is important.
Balancing your campaign and other commitments
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Consider giving your other commitments, (e.g. societies, sports or job), a miss for a week if you are able to and if you're worried about having too much to do
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Equally, some people like maintaining their normal routine, and having something different to take their mind off their campaign
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Do something nice in the evenings and at the weekend!
- Finally, candidates often find themselves making friends with other nominees - they're in the same position as you so you can motivate each other.
Campaign tips
Be clear – no one wants to read pages and pages of words – use bullet points and bold to highlight key points.
Stand out – don’t say ‘get more people involved’ (who wouldn't want that?), instead talk about how and why you would want to do that.
Don’t be put off - if students don’t want to talk to you, just smile, be polite, thank them for their time and move on.
Have fun - Students respond better to positive campaigning and, ultimately, the elections should be a fun, positive experience for everyone.
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How do I vote in the election?
Voting takes place on this website from 9pm on Monday 3rd March to 3pm on Friday 7th March, 2025 - for full details of how to vote visit the voting section of the site.
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If you have any further questions then please email us at suelection@winchester.ac.uk
