What are the elections?
Each year we conduct our student elections. These elections are for our Full Time Officers and Member of Parliament positions. If you want to run, you’ll need to create your candidate profile by uploading a photo, and your manifesto (there are set questions around why you’d be good for the role, and what you would do if you were elected). You then campaign to get students to vote for you!
Here are the other important election dates:
Applications Open - Wednesday 1st February, 9am
Applications Close - Wednesday 22nd February 11.59pm
Candidate Briefing & Photos – Friday 24th February, 1pm
Candidate Profile deadline (election priorities aka Manifesto; slogan; photos) - Wednesday 1st March 11.59pm
Voting Opens – Monday 13th March, 7pm
Voting Closes – Friday 17th March, 12 midday
Voting Results – Friday 17th March, 7pm
Who can apply and who runs it?
Any currently matriculated Heriot-Watt University Student can run in our elections. As long as you are a current student, anyone from a first-year Undergraduate Student to a Postgraduate Research Student in their final year can run!
If you are running for a Member of Parliament position, then your studies must continue until at least May 2024.
The elections are ran by us, Heriot-Watt Student Union, we’ve been running elections since 1966 so you’re in more than capable hands! Your main point of contact is the Deputy Returning Officer. They oversee and coordinate the elections for the Student Union and Sports Union.
The current DRO is Genna, the Student Engagement Manager, and you can contact her here.
What are Full Time Officers
Full Time Officers are elected every year in our March elections. Full Time Officers work full-time for a year to improve things and make a difference at Heriot-Watt.
Full-Time Officers are responsible for looking after Heriot-Watt students, asking students for their feedback, and making the student experience the best it can be while you’re at university. They lead the direction of the Union and push for positive change!
Each Full Time Officer covers a specific area:
President – improves the student experience and represents the views of Heriot Watt students to the University. They make sure students are at the heart of everything the University does as they sit on University Court and loads of other committees. They also lead on Postgraduate Representation.
Vice President Community – works hard to improve life on campus! This includes working closely with societies and volunteering; campaigning and representing students on issues affecting their lives such as housing and transport as well as leading the work on sustainability.
Vice President Wellbeing – the first point of contact for student Equality and Diversity issues and liberation campaigns. They run the Student Wellbeing Group and work closely with the students that attend it to advocate for positive change in issues facing students identifying as LGBT+, Women, International, Black Asian and Minority Ethnic, and Disabled. They also run activities that will improve student wellbeing.
Vice President Education – covers all aspects of education and academic representation for undergraduate students across UK campuses, to improve the learning and teaching experience.
For more information on the roles, click here.