MISU.IE - Mary Immaculate College Students Union

MISU Elections: General Info

Details

Category: Your Union

Published on Sunday, 11 March 2012 14:25

General Elections
Elections are held in the second semester. The date and place of the elections and the closing date for nominations will be advertised in advance.

Returning Officer
The Returning Officer is nominated by a majority vote of the Executive and sets up an Electoral Committee to assist with the running of elections.

Nominations for Elections
If you are thinking of running for election, you must submit a nomination form by the advertised deadline. Nomination forms must be signed by the candidate (person running for election) and twenty proposers, who must be registered students of the College. Late nominations will not be accepted. Campaigning can only begin after the close of nominations.

Election Debate (Hustings)
Hustings are a public head to head of all the candidates in an election, constitutionally held the day before the members go to the polls, in which each of the candidates makes a speech stating their own political goals; a question and answers session from the floor follows. This gives the voters a chance to evaluate the comparative merits of the candidates. Hustings is usally quite entertaining!

Voting
All Mary I students may vote in the elections, as long as they can show a valid Mary I student ID. All members of the Exec are entitled to vote as well. Polling is by secret ballot in sealed ballot boxes. More info on voting can be found here,

No candidate or their agents, may canvass within the polling station or distribute publicity material or display publicity within the polling station.

All candidates are expected to treat all other candidates with dignity and respect and abide by the basic rules of fair play. If a candidate does not abide by these rules this shall be made publicly known by the Elections Committee at the hustings.

If a student is unable to vote in person s/he may utilise the Long Distance Voting protocol (email), which is detailed here.

More information on elections can be found in the constitution which is available to download here.

Results of previous elections can be found here.