Frequently Asked Questions

Firstly, we have elections because it's the law! The Education Act 1994 requires all Students' Unions in England to be run by students who are elected by other students.

Secondly, we think it's a pretty good way of running things. The whole point of the SU is to advocate on behalf of Hallam students, working with the University to make sure that students' opinions are heard whenever a decision is made that will affect students. This wouldn't be possible if we weren't led by students who understand what's happening in students' lives.

If you're a Hallam student, then you can probably take part. Any 'full member' of Hallam Students' Union can run for a position in the election, and as a student you are a member of the Students' Union. This means that, whether you study full-time or part-time, are a mature student, international student, undergraduate, or postgraduate, you can take part.

International students studying for a Sheffield Hallam degree are eligible to run and vote for any position (not just International Students' Officer!)

There are a few exceptions you should be aware of:

Unfortunately, exchange students are unable to run in the election; Sheffield Hallam needs to be your 'main' university of study. Exchange students can still vote, though.

Some students 'opt out' of Hallam Students' Union membership - if you've done this, then you will have to opt back in to take part.

Students usually decide to take part in the Elections because they want to make life better for students. Perhaps you've got great ideas about how to make the student experience better. Maybe you think the University could have handled something better over the last year, and you want to point them down the right path. Securing an elected role is a great step towards making those ideas a reality.

Plus, you'll have a unique opportunity to gain experience in overseeing strategy development and policy creation within a student-led organisation.

You'll need to be elected into the role: this means you need to get more votes than other candidates. Over the week of 14-17 October, all Hallam students will have the opportunity to vote for who they think are the best candidates for each position. It would be your job to try and convince them that you are the best candidate!

To do this, we give all candidates the opportunity to outline who they are, why they'd be great in the role, and what they'd do if they got elected. You'll also campaign for votes, engaging with students in person and online to explain why they should vote for you.

If you'd like to take part but aren't sure how to do all of that, don't worry! We'll equip you with all the information you need to do well.

Voting is done electronically using an app that's located on the SU website. When students vote, they can 'rank' each candidate in order of preference, which makes voting fairer. The process we use is called ranked voting.

You can apply online from Monday 16 September 2024. In order to apply, you'll need to complete our sign-up form. The form will ask you to submit a candidate photo, and you'll need to answer a few questions about your interest in the role, as you would in a job application. Your answers will be shown to students when they are voting, so make sure you spend some time preparing your answers!

You might have noticed there's a candidate called RON for every single position in our Elections.

RON isn't a person, it's an acronym, and it stands for Re-Open Nominations. If you submit a vote for RON, you're telling us you don't think any of the candidates are right for the role, and that we should restart the process to find better candidates. If RON gets the most votes, then no candidates win, and we will start the nominations process again.

We think it's important that voters have the option to vote for RON - our leadership should represent you, and if you don't think any candidate represents you, then you should tell us. Remember - if you don't vote, then you can't complain about the result!