Curious about Elections or not sure about nominating yourself? Read on to see some of the common elections myths and why they aren’t true.
If you’re on this page, you’re probably curious about the elections, but it can be easy to talk yourself out of running for a position. It’s completely normal to be asking yourself whether you are the right person for the job, but elections really are for everyone. Read on to see some of the common myths and why they aren’t true.
Elections are only for people who’ve already been involved in the Students’ Union
In the past, we’ve had many elected officers that had never been involved in the Students’ Union before they ran in the elections. And guess what – all of them were really successful. If you’ve never been involved in the Students’ Union, you are able to bring a fresh perspective and spot opportunities to improve students’ lives that others may miss. We also provide lots of training and resources for all elections candidates, and winners get a full training and induction programme, so we’ll teach you everything you need to know to be successful.
You have to be politically active to run in the elections
As long as you are passionate about representing your fellow students and making a change at Queen Mary, you have all the background you need to run in the elections. Most election candidates have never held a political role or been involved in politics before, so it’s completely fine if you aren’t politically active.
I’m not the right kind of person to run in the elections
Students at Queen Mary come from a huge range of backgrounds, and with so many different schools, departments, and programmes, there’s an uncountable number of different student experiences. Whoever you are, you will be somebody’s ideal representative, and your voice deserves to be heard.
I’m an international student, so I cannot run due to visas
Visa regulations allow for international studies to take a pause in their studies to become a Sabbatical officer. You can find more information on UKCISA’s website.
It's just a popularity contest
Nothing is ever guaranteed with elections! Queen Mary has thousands of students, all of whom have different passions, interests, and needs. Many successful winners have come into an election feeling they were less popular than their opponents but won thanks to their strong manifestos and campaigns. Having a lot of friends won’t guarantee anyone a victory—every candidate needs to appeal to a wide array of students from across the university.
I won’t have time
There is no required amount of time to spend campaigning—you can dedicate as much or as little to it as you feel able within the campaign and voting period. You’re also welcome to ask a team of friends and course mates to support you, so you don’t have to do everything on your own.
There’s no point, I’ll never change anything
QMSU officers have been the driving force behind recent changes at Queen Mary. Executive Officers hold seats on high-level committees and have the opportunity to speak and work directly with senior managers at Queen Mary, including the Principal, the Vice Principal for Education and the Director of Student Experience.
I won’t win without a big campaign team
Having a campaign team can be a big help, but it’s still possible to win without one. However, many of your friends would probably be happy to help if you ask them, so don’t be afraid to ask your friends, housemates or course mates to help you. Even if they can’t commit to being on your campaign team, they might be able to share a social media post or help you with a one-off task, such as putting posters up.
I am not in my final year so I can’t run
All students can run – regardless of which year you are in. If you get elected, there’s a process that allows you to pause your studies to become a full-time officer.
I’m a postgrad, so it’s not for me
The Students’ Union represents all students – and that includes Master’s, PhDs and all other postgrad students. We often have officers that are Master’s or PhD students, and their perspectives and experiences have helped us to ensure that we represent all students, including postgrads.
I have exams over the summer, so I won’t be ready to start the role
Don’t worry – it’s not uncommon to have assessments to complete after you start the role. Whether you’re doing a resit or have dissertation to complete, we’ll work with you to come up with a tailored plan that allows you to participate in the training and induction without missing your academic deadlines.