How do the Students' Union Leadership Elections Work?

Photo Courtesy : UCL Imagestock

How do the student elections work?

The online student elections—the crucial stage of the 2024 UCL Leadership Race—are set to begin on 11 March, after over a month of nominations starting from 29 January. 

The UCL Leadership Race is an annual event in March in which students nominate themselves for various leadership positions throughout the university, from presidential roles in clubs and societies to student officer positions. 

At the heart of the event is the election of six Sabbatical Officers, who will be responsible for leading the entire Students’ Union. Unlike other student leadership roles, a position as a Sabbatical Officer is a paid position, and those elected will take a sabbatical year to focus on their duties. The six roles include the President, as well as Officers for Education, Equity and Inclusion, Welfare and Community, Postgraduate, and Activities and Engagement. 

Who can vote, and how?

Any UCL student can vote, from undergraduates to postgraduates. 

Nominations closed on 4 March, and candidates for all positions will be announced on the 6th. From 09:00 on 11 March to noon on 15 March, students will be able to cast their votes online. 

The Single Transferable Vote method is used, which means that each student has one vote. Voters will need to rank candidates in order of preference, starting from their first choice and then moving downwards in order. This ensures that the diversity of opinions in the student population is reflected in the results.

Results will be announced at 17:00 on 15 March, five hours after the elections close.

Why vote?

‘The students who are elected will make changes big and small to the lives of every student at UCL,’ says an SU spokesperson. ‘The Officers also sit on almost every other committee at UCL, representing the student voice on things like assessments, graduation, the cost of halls, library opening hours, education policies like extenuating circumstances, and hundreds more issues.’

The 2023 Leadership Race saw the biggest election in UCL history, with a voter turnout rate of 21%. With 10,219 voters, it was also the largest election in any UK university. 

However, it’s hoped that the election this year will have an even greater turnout rate. 

‘We need many more people to vote to give the students who are elected even more of a mandate when taking student issues forward to UCL,’ says the SU spokesperson. ‘Make sure you have a say on who is speaking for you.’

Fun fact: Juggling and Circus Society have been the first society to get to 100% turnout for the past two years.